Kaede Jr
by Aki Midori
Summary: [COMPLETE] Rukawa Kaede - Ice Prince; Sendoh Akira - playboy of Ryonan; Rukawa Kaede - little demon. Three lives. Three people. One story.
1. I'm Calm, I'm Cool, I'm the Ice Prince

Title: Kaede Jr.  
Author: Aki Midori   
Mail me at: autumn_wind04@yahoo.com  
Warnings: Yaoi, OOC (i think)(intended), OC... the works  
Pairing: SenRu (what else?)  
Rating: G - PG  
Genre: Romance/Humor (I hope)  
  
Summary: Rukawa Kaede... the Ice Prince... Super Rookie and Ace of Shohoku... Fearless on court. Unreachable. Untouchable. He is on top of the world (okay, Kanagawa, maybe)... but he fears ONE person... only one...  
  
Author's Blah:  
Blah blah blah blah...  
This is for all my friends at AkiraxKaede ML...  
This is for all the SenRu fans of the world...  
This is for my crazy friend miku... (Where the hell are your fics? Hmmm?)  
And...  
This is for YOU. You, who had the golden heart, as to pay attention to this crap. Yes, you. Don't you raise an eyebrow at me. I just said that this is for you. Be flattered. (Just kidding. About the flattery part.)  
Enjoy!  
Blah blah blah blah...  
  
DiSCLaiMerS: I.do.not.own.Slam.Dunk.If.I.did.then.I.wouldn't.even.bother.fantisizing.like.this.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Kaede Jr.  
Chapter One: I'm Calm, I'm Cool, I'm the Ice Prince  
  
  
"I'm going to die," the do'aho muttered after another grueling practice under our *ehm* midget-sized captain.  
  
Going to die, eh? Why don't you? It wouldn't be much of a loss to society. In fact, I think it would even benefit everyone. One less moron in the world. Oh well, it's not that I hate him that much. I don't even hate him. But no one can deny the fact that he irritates the hell outta me. And I can't blame him if he reacts that way, either. I mean, Miyagi-sempai had been tougher than usual. Probably because in a few days, we'll be having a match against Ryonan. It's only a practice game, but hell, we sure don't want to lose to them.   
  
And I especially don't want to lose against the so-called Ace of Ryonan, Sendoh Akira. After all, I'm well on my way to being the number one player in Japan. There was just one itty-bitty hindrance, which is, Sendoh, of course. I really don't know why I feel like a basketball moron when I'm next to that perpetually smiling dweeb. It's not inferiority complex, no siree. It's just that he has a way of making me feel so *inferior* because no matter how hard I try, no matter how good I am, I can't seem to beat him during our one-on-ones.   
  
Now, thinking about it, I just noticed that he doesn't play the same way during official games. When we're alone, there's this *something*, I don't what, that drives him to play differently. He's... how do I say this... *burning* whenever we play. He's still smiling, yeah, but he's different. And the worst thing is... whatever this *thing* is... it makes him win... And I don't like it one bit.   
  
Oh well, thinking about that smiling do'aho will not take me anywhere in life. He'd just destroy my wonderful mood.   
  
Why was I thinking of him anyway? It's not like he's worth my attention. Yeah, he plays well, but that's all there is to it.   
  
After all... I'm calm, I'm cool, and I'm the Ice Prince.  
  
Although those facts of reality doesn't have anything to do with the present situation at hand, I have better things to do than ponder all night about the existence of one smiling hedgehog.  
  
The breeze was cool as I stepped out of the gym. It was a peaceful night, a perfect night for cycling to my peaceful home. I get all warm inside whenever I think of going home. I love my apartment more than anything in the world (well, of course there's the issue of my basketball and my bike, but that's beside the point). It's my haven after another grueling day. It's the only place where I can get the peace I so much craved for. No overprotective mothers, no childish fathers, and no annoying little brothers. Just silence, solitude, comfort... ah well, life is good.  
  
I don't know why I'm thinking of my family now, especially since I've been away from that pandemonium since I started high school. Looking back, I honestly didn't know how I ended up *sane* amidst the portrait of lunacy which was painted by my family. My father and mother, though they were corporate people, actually acted as children. Hn, they must have been taking seriously the saying 'Never let go of the child in you.' Well, they can't let go, all right. They bicker and giggle and chuckle and argue and who knows what else... all the time. They drive me crazy! No one would think that the Ice Prince actually came from straight from the family of the damned.   
  
My mother is the epitome of overprotectiveness. She wouldn't let me and my brother out of her sight. She would make sure we have sunblock on whenever we get out of the house. She suggests the most bizarre things, like putting a piece of cloth on my back when I play basketball... to absorb the sweat, she says. She pampers us to *death*. Thinking about the past few years of my life makes me shudder.   
  
My father... he's just... him. He always has this stupid grin on his face. He's always grinning, even when the sitution is so damn serious. And he's so *bright* and *cheerful* and so goddamn loud. And come to think of it, my father is kinda like SAKURAGI... after a few years. Yes, I see my father whenever I look at that do'aho, minus the red hair, that is. Maybe that's why I can't stand the red head very much. He actually reminds me of one the persons whom I wanted to get away from. I mean... duh! I actually moved away from Osaka[1] because I wanted to get away from my family... And then when I come here, I see the teen-aged version of my dad. What a life.   
  
And my brother... He just popped into my life like a some mushroom. My parents during those times have been staying at the States for three years already. I stayed here in Japan with my ojiisan, for the sole reason that I wanted solitude.. even for a while. I was nine by the time they got back, and they had with them a baby. Wow, so she concieved during those times they were away. Fine with me. It's nice to have a baby brother. It would be nice to have someone who'd idolize me, and who'd look up to me, and who'd regard me as his hero. I would teach him my favorite sport in the world. We would be best buds.   
  
I spoke too soon.   
  
That would be as far as I can get. Thinking about that little demon brings chills down my spine.   
  
No, I would not think about the time when he was barely a year old, when he crawled into my room and just destroyed everything in sight. I would not think of those times where I tried to fed him, and ended up looking like a huge walking goob. I would not think of the time where the little twerp actually *ate* my brand new NBA posters, the ones which I accidentally left on the floor because my mom called me for something. And no, I would not think of that time where he pooped on my homework. I worked three days for that! I wouldn't think of the time where I lovingly lent him my basketball, one fine day at the beach... and he threw it out into the sea.   
  
No, I would *not* think of those horrible times.  
  
The night is too perfect.  
  
I passed by the peaceful park. I passed by the calm sea. I passed by the quiet, still open stores. And finally, I arrived at the familiar peaceful neighborhood. I passed by the familiar, quiet houses, and turned right at the familiar corner, and smiled as my familiar house came into my view.   
  
Yep... This is a perfect night.   
  
But no... I guess I spoke too soon... again.   
  
Right there, parked in front of my house, was the familiar blue car of my dad. I stopped dead in my tracks (and almost fell off my bike in the process), and just *stared* at the car, wishing... HOPING against hope that the car belongs to one of my neighbors. That maybe they don't have any space in their garage anymore, and I don't have a car anyway, so they parked it in front of my home sweet home.   
  
They belong to the neighbors... right?   
  
RIGHT?  
  
And then I saw my mom... standing at the doorway... MY doorway... and she had that sweet smile on her face. She makes want to turn on my heel and scream and run.   
  
How the hell did she get in there, anyway? Oh yeah... They have keys to my  
house.   
  
As I walked nearer, I could see the mess my brother made. The hose was wriggling about like a strangled snake, as water oozed out from it. My garden... Kami-sama, my garden... The flowers were pulled out, the leaves were unidentifiable, the pots were broken, and soil was just *everywhere*. How could a kid be sooooooo horrible?   
  
"Kaede! You're home!" my mom exclaimed as she gathered me into a tight bear hug, cutting off my air supply.  
  
"Okaasan, I can't breathe."   
  
"Gomen, gomen!" she said breezily and whizzed me into *MY* house. Okay, so they were the ones who gave this to me... but this is MINE. "Your otousan's in the kitchen. And little Kaede, I think, is out in the yard."   
  
And did I ever mention that they actually named the little demon Kaede Jr.? Geez, man! Were they so lazy to think of any other name? Why name that demon after me? I'm not angelic, but I don't grow horns, either.  
  
"I didn't see him," was my reply. Now, am I cool or what? How in the world I managed to sound calm and collected, I don't know. In reality, my insides were churning. Panic was rising up my veins. Where's my solitude? Where's my peace? How could life be so unfair?   
  
And yeah, I didn't see my brother, but I did saw the mess he made. And I bet he could get away with it, too.  
  
"Oi! Kaede!" My dad greeted. Is that a *pink* apron he's wearing? Where the hell did he get that? Certainly not from my kitchen. He scooted over to me and gave me a big hug. I peered over his shoulder and had to wince at the mess he made in my pristine white kitchen. Kami-sama, did I do something wrong? I don't deserve this. All I wanted in life is to win against my greatest rival and be the nation's best basketball player. Why did the heavens allow *this* to happen to me?   
  
"I made your favorite dish!" otousan said proudly. "Go ahead and change. Go right back down for dinner."  
  
Next thing I knew, my mom was actually pushing me towards the stairs and my room and then she was rummaging in my closet, threw a blue shirt and white shorts to me and kissed me before she went out of the room so I could change.   
  
Am I supposed to be thankful that she actually didn't think of clothing me herself? I mean... she's my mom, RIGHT?   
  
I stood still in the middle of my room and tried to calm my nerves. Okay, Rukawa Kaede... you're calm, you're cool, you're the Ice Prince. You will get over this mess in no time at all. Take a deep breath, Kaede... yes, that's it... Relax. First, change your clothes... that's right... now, take another deep breath... okay... open the door... yeah, that's it... and prepare yourself for battle. Yes... that's it. You're calm, you're cool, you're the Ice Prince.   
  
I repeated that over and over like a mantra, so I didn't notice my brother appear right before me. Next thing I know, we were tangled on the floor. His foot was on my face and his hands were sprawled over my torso.   
  
"Oi, get off me, do'aho," I snapped. Oh well, we've never been really close, since that time when he bit me when I tried to cuddle him.   
  
"I'm not a do'aho," he snapped back and actually kicked my face before getting puny body off mine. I stood up, pulled him up, and dusted us both.   
  
"Get lost," I said and walked away. I think he just stood at the end of the hall way. Well he could stay there forever and I wouldn't give a damn.   
  
The aroma of my dad's chicken curry lead my stomach (and me, of course) to the kitchen. I flopped down at one seat and stared hard at my smooching parents.   
  
"Ehm."   
  
"Oh, Kaede, you're there."   
  
Like duh...  
  
"Where's Kae-chan?"   
  
"Somewhere."   
  
"Oh, come on, son! Don't be like that!" my dad said as he patted my head like one would to a poodle. And then he actually cackled. The same way a certain redhead would whenever he's feeling very high.   
  
And then people are wondering why I never really liked the do'aho...  
  
"Where's your brother, dear?" my mom asked as she placed the food on the table. The smell of it attacked my sense of smell, and I could actually hear my stomach shouting for food.   
  
"Upstairs."   
  
My mom and dad suddenly went still and exchanged glances before sitting before me. My mom took my hand and held it in hers as she looked intently into my eyes. Boy, oh, boy... this looked serious.   
  
"Kaede, we need to tell you something," okaasan started.  
  
Why do I get the feeling that something is TERRIBLY wrong?   
  
"It's really important, and we hope you'd understand us," otousan added.  
  
Silence.   
  
More silence.   
  
They were fidgeting in their seats now, and my blood was close to boiling. What the hell is happening?   
  
Ok, Rukawa... you're calm, you're cool, you're the Ice Prince. Your blood doesn't boil.   
  
"What's wrong?" Now am I cool or what?   
  
"We need you to take care of your brother for the time being," otousan said in one breath. I almost wanted to jump away and run for safety but I held my cool. I would listen to their explanation, but there's no way I'm going to take that little heathen under my wing. Brother or not, he annoys the hell outta me. Heck *annoys* is the understatement of the century.  
  
"Your father and I need to take care of *really* important business back home, and we won't be around too much to take care of Kaede Jr." Note that my mother stressed the word 'really'.   
  
"I know that you and your brother haven't been on good terms lately-"  
  
"We haven't been on good terms since the beginning of our acquaintance, and you know it," I interrupted. To hell with being polite. To hell with ethics. Too hell with being a good son. I want my peace, and there's no way I'm going to get peace when my brother's around!  
  
My mom suddenly looked very weary, and my dad, for the first time, actually looked *normal* (I mean, without that stupid grin on his face). Damn, this must be really serious.   
  
"Please, Kaede, just this once," okaasan insisted. "You don't hate him that much, do you? I mean, he *is* still your brother."   
  
Don't you dare use that soft, soothing voice on me now. Not when I'm actually trying hard to defend my solitude AND sanity here. I mean, this is my BROTHER we're talking about... Spawn of Satan, Lord of Chaos-  
  
And then I actually saw the little nincompoop at one corner, looking at me with that big blue eyes of his. Eyes which held more emotions than I could read. And I realized that for the first time, I saw something in those eyes besides the sparkle of mischief.   
  
Fear and anxiety and hope and defeat, to name a few. Why those emotions were on his eyes, I don't know. What happened back home that actually made my parents to come all the way to Kanagawa to bring this little heathen to me? Me, of all people, when they damn well knew that I'd rather be dragged by wild horses over hot coals than spend a minute with my brother.   
  
It's not that I hated him... It's not that I'm condemning my family... it's just that- ah hell!   
  
I'm calm. I'm cool. I'm the Ice Prince.  
  
But I'm also a sucker for big, blue eyes.  
  
I'm a sucker for family ties.   
  
No matter how crazy or loud or insane my family is...  
  
I still love them.   
  
I'm calm. I'm cool. I'm the Ice Prince.   
  
I melt in front of the warm fire of my family.   
  
I'm not such a good Ice Prince, after all...   
  
My family must have seen the look of resignation in their eyes, because my mom and dad actually whooped with joy and jumped up and down the kitchen. And was that relief I saw in Kaede's eyes before he actually covered it with defiance and stuck out his tongue?   
  
Oh boy... what have gotten myself into?   
  
Ice Prince my ass.  
  
tsu.zu.ku  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
[1] Thanks to my friend Shinri Ayase for reminding me that Kaede *must have* come from Osaka because the word *do'aho* actually came from that place. *Must have* because we're not sure, either...  
  
OOOOOOOOOOkay, that's it for now... I'm sure it's still pretty boring, but I promise it'll get better by and by. And oh, for those who are expecting the SenRu part, I'm sorry! But there will be other chapters, ne, minna? Don't kill me yet, guys! The story's just warming up!!!   
  
I guess I should thank you... and congratulate you (You've gone this far! Arigatou!) And if isn't too much, please review as well. ^^;   
  
ja!  
Aki-chan 


	2. Demons of the World, Unite!

Title: Kaede Jr.  
Author: Aki Midori   
Mail me at: autumn_wind04@yahoo.com  
Warnings: Yaoi, OOC (i think)(intended), OC... the works  
Pairing: SenRu (what else?)  
Rating: G - PG  
Genre: Romance/Humor (I hope)  
  
Summary: Rukawa Kaede... the Ice Prince... Super Rookie and Ace of Shohoku... Fearless on court. Unreachable. Untouchable. He is on top of the world (okay, Kanagawa, maybe)... but he fears ONE person... only one...  
  
  
The dreaded author's blah:  
  
Not too much blahs today. (Hooray for you!) Just wanna say thank you to all those people who reviewed my fic and urged me to continue. Arigatou! I'm glad you liked it!   
  
That's it!   
  
Enjoy! ^_^  
  
DiScLaiMErs:  
Sendoh: I belong to Aki-chan.  
Rukawa: I belong to Aki-chan.  
Sakuragi: I think Aki-chan is the greatest tensai on earth. Not me.  
Mitsui: All bow to the great Aki-sama...  
Megane-kun: I wonder if she could help me with this Keats poem... She is soooo great at Literature.   
Miyagi: I worship Aki-sama. *looks at a fuming Ayako* Next to Aya-chan, of course. ^_^;  
Aki-chan: Okay, people... you heard them. They belong to me. Me. No one else. I am their master. They worship me. They bow to me. They are at my complete mercy.  
*background voice* Oi, Aki! Wake up! You're late for your first class!   
Aki-chan: *blink* *blink* Ah, hell. Nice dream. Thanks, Mr. Sandman.  
  
----------------------------------------------------  
  
Kaede Jr.   
Chapter Two: Demons of the World, Unite!  
Now where the hell am I?   
  
I'm sure the station is just around the corner... It must be here somewhere. Do'aho Akira! You should have at least brought a map! Oh well, it's not like I would know how to use it, anyway. I'm not really blessed with the sense of direction. And besides, it would ruin my image if I actually walked around Kanagawa with a dorky-looking map.  
  
The sun's setting already. Although it was a pretty sight, I can't just sit down and admire it because I've got to get to the station in a few minutes. Otherwise, I won't be able to catch the train back home. Ch... Why did my mom have to make me go all the way here just to give a damn parcel to one of her friends? Okay, so maybe she and otousan is in Tokyo and the parcel is *really* important (note that she stressed the word /really/), so her friend has to have it, but she knew I'm such a moron when it comes to travelling. I could even get lost in our own house!  
  
Okay, turn right here, left here, walk straight... oooh, pretty girl... right again, left, right... straight ahead, right, and voila! It's the-   
  
Park.   
  
It's the goddamn park.   
  
I have no idea why I'm such a subidiot when it comes to directions. I'm supposed to be the coolest guy in Ryonan! I'm a basketball god. Girls worshipped me. Guys idolized me. Teachers respect me. Newspaper reporters trip on their own two feet just to exchange a few words with me. I am the epitome of perfection!   
  
Sheesh. Life's unfair. Better sit down here for a while. It's a good day, anyway, and the sunset's too perfect to ignore. I always enjoyed times like these. Just sit down in the middle of a quiet nowhere and just enjoy the peaceful surroundings. To top it all, there were cute little children playing along, squealing, shouting, yelling, crying, but it's okay. They add to the perfection of the scene.   
  
Ah, what a perfect view.   
  
They help me take my mind off the grueling practice I've had all day. Summer's going to end soon, and I'm soon going to be in my third and final year. I've got to leave behind a strong and healthy team. *Creak* Ow. My neck hurts. Damn Koshino... won't even let me relax...   
  
No, don't think of the practice, you dolt. Think of something else... like... Rukawa. Right. Rukawa Kaede. My greatest rival. Now, what about him?   
  
What about him? Aw, come on, Akira. Don't fool yourself. You had the gall to ask what to think about Rukawa Kaede when you damn well know that *he's* been the only thing-er- only one which occupies your mind, 24/7! Get real, Sendoh Akira.   
  
Yes. It's about time I stop lying to myself. It's about time that I started to accept the fact that *I* *like* *him*. Why else do I try to act cooler than usual when he's around? Why else do I go at great lengths just to impress that walking ice block? Why else do I get shivers down my spine when he actually stares/glares at me with those soul-piercing blue eyes of his? Why else do I act like a moron when I get the chance to talk to him during our one-on-ones? Why else do I burn with passion when I play basketball alone with him?   
  
Because I like him.  
  
Sometimes I don't get myself. There were so many beautiful girls around, and even other guys who weren't so cold, but I actually had to be attracted to someone like Rukawa Kaede. At one point, I even tried to tell myself that a marble statue is more interesting to look at than him, but I knew that I was fooling myself, because I knew that Rukawa Kaede sparked my interest like no other would.   
  
But everytime I think of him, I get this tight feeling in my chest, which I'm not in the mood to deal with now, so I've got to stop thinking about him... for the time being that is.   
  
Look at the children, Akira. Don't think of the practice. Don't think of Rukawa. Look at the children. Look at the children...   
  
*Bonk*  
  
Ouch! Was that a *basketball* which hit me? I looked down to see a familiar orange ball rolling away from me. No wonder. It bounced pretty hard.   
  
A kid with familiar features ran towards the ball and picked it up. His eyes met mine, and I was struck by the familiarity of those fox-like blue eyes. I'm no idiot... this kid looked like a younger version of that gorgeous-looking-super-rookie-slash-ace-stud of Shohoku High. He was just standing there, looking at me, studying me with piercing blue eyes. He has that defiant look in his eyes, as if he was challenging me to a game of one-on-one. Definitely reminds me of *someone*. I smiled and walked up to him.   
  
"Hello!"  
  
"You look funny."  
  
Ah. And straightforward, too.   
  
"You play basketball?"  
  
"Basketball is for sissies."  
  
Nani?! Okay, Akira... he's a kid, he's a kid, he's a kid. He doesn't know any better. He probably has some punk for an older brother who spends his life berating basketball and cursing athletes. Or maybe his older brother is such a geek, that he poisons his otouto's mind and actually said nasty things about basketball, because this kid is fit and healthy for the sport, and he's not. Right. His older brother is a moron. That is, if this kid has one...   
  
So I'll let that pass for now.   
  
"You don't like basketball?"  
  
"I just said it's for sissies."  
  
Calm down, stud! He's just a kid, he's just a kid, he's just a kid... Breathe in... breathe out... Yes... He's just a kid, he's just a kid, he's just a kid.   
  
"Then why do you have a ball?" Perfect rebuttal, Sendoh Akira!   
  
"I stole it from my brother. He plays it."   
  
So much for the punk/geek/moron theories.   
  
"Why would you do such I thing?" I ask. This kid must be a pain in the ass. That much I could say, even within such a short period of acquaintance. He reminds me of someone I know...  
  
"I just feel like it."   
  
Yep... definitely reminds me of someone.   
  
"I'm Sendoh Akira, by the way," I said and offered him a hand. He stared at it and shook it warily, as if he was unsure of what he's doing. I smiled at him and together we sat under a huge oak tree.   
  
"Do you always play tricks like that? Stealing your brother's ball and everything?" I asked. His cute little face lit up with mischief as he nodded vigorously. This kid reminds me so much of *MYSELF* when I was just a little boy. Hehe, another demon, eh? He must have been giving his parents and siblings a hard time.   
  
"I always get away with it," he said proudly. "But my brother doesn't like it, though. And he doesn't like me, either."   
  
"It goes with the territory," I said and smiled. "When you are such a daredevil, you can't expect everyone to like you. But don't give a damn. It's fun being a devil once in a while."  
  
And the kid actually lit up *even more*. He must probably be glad that someone could sympathize with him. He just found his confidante, someone who can actually understand him. Someone who knew the business of terrorizing inside-out. Me.   
  
"I think this would be the start of a wonderful friendship," I said, and he smiled. Such a cute little smile. It's the smile of a demon. It's nice seeing that again.   
  
But something in this kid's eyes tell me that a lot of things is going on his mind lately. Something deep. I've always been a perceptive person, and I can always sense it if something's wrong. Other people wouldn't be able to catch it, but I could. I don't know why.   
  
"Ne, what's your name?"  
  
"I don't like my name very much," he says with a small pout. I was about to ask why when suddenly I heardthe voice certain *someone* whom I've been thinking about earlier.  
  
"There you are, you little maggot." It was delivered in the lowest of tones, but it sounded louder to me than the drums of war in that Indian movie I was watching last night.   
  
The little kid's face hardened as he looked at the object of my affections. Once Rukawa got nearer to us both, I almost slapped my head.  
  
Of course this kid is Rukawa Kaede's brother! The eyes, the hair, the pale skin, the actual built. Well, yeah, he's just a small kid, but when he grows up, he's more or less like his oniisan. I smiled at them both.   
  
"Well, well, this cute kid is your brother?" I asked. Rukawa chose to ignore me (ouch) and continued to stare daggers at the younger kid.   
  
"What did I tell you about not leaving the gym?" Rukawa seethed as he walked over to his brother and started checking if the kid has any injuries or something. "I've looked all over for you, you little nicompoop. Kanagawa is not a story-book little town. What if something bad happened to you?"  
  
"You'd be happy," the kid shot back. I stared wide-eyed at the kid, but Rukawa doesn't look a bit rattled. What is going on with these two?   
  
"True, but it would upset Otousan and Okaasan," Rukawa said matter-of-factly. "And besides, picking up the mangled remains of a maggot is not my idea of a fantastic activity."   
  
"Then let the ambulance take care of me," the little child snapped.  
  
"They're too busy to deal with the likes of you," Rukawa snapped back. "Are you hurt or anything?"   
  
"No."  
  
"Good," Rukawa said. He stood up from his crouching position and pulled his brother up. "I'm still not done cleaning the mess you made at the locker room. Ayako-sempai's gonna kill me with that paper fan of hers if I didn't clean the oil you spilled, or the mops you broke, or the lockers you vandalized, ASAP. Let's go back."   
  
"Where did that girl get that paper fan?" the kid asked. "I like to have that one."  
  
"You have many other devices at home with which you can terrorize Kanagawa. Don't bother with the paper fan anymore," Rukawa said and started to pull the kid away. The child resisted.  
  
My eyes could only widen with each word that they exchanged with each other. This is a shocking moment for me. First, I hear Rukawa saying something composed of more than ten words, which was his maximum. Second, they seem to dislike each other openly. Third, what was that again that Rukawa accused the child of doing?  
  
"But I don't want to go," the child insisted. "I want to stay with him."   
  
Rukawa looked at me (finally) and shook his head no. The child nodded his head. Rukawa shook his again. The child nodded again. Both were staring daggers at each other, neither was yielding. I cleared my throat to gain attention (which I got, thank you very much).  
  
"Look, your little brother can stay with me until you, ah- finish your *chores*," I offered. "We've become good friends, right buddy?"  
The kid nodded his head vigorously. "What do you say, Rukawa-kun?"   
  
"You know this man?" Rukawa asked his brother.   
  
"Yeah. His name is Kendoh Akira," the kid replied.  
  
"Er, that's Sendoh Akira, buddy," I corrected.  
  
"All the same," he said with a shrug. I laughed. Rukawa shrugged.   
  
"Suit yourself," he said. Then he looked at me again (yay!) and said, "Much that I want the kid to vanish from the face of the earth, he's still my brother and my parents actually *loved* him, though I don't know why, so if something happens to him, you'll personally answer to me."   
  
With that long speech (for a walking ice block capable of only a few insulting words), he walked away, leaving me to deal with one of my kind.  
  
"Hey, kid, you dure you did those things he said?" I asked. He smiled again.  
  
"Yeah I did," he said. "But I betcha he still haven't found out about the frog which I left on one of the locker rooms."  
  
"You're good, you know that?" I asked with a laugh.  
  
"You're nice."  
  
"I am," I said.   
  
We were quiet after that, just sensing each other's presence. The sun had finally set, and the stars were appearing one-by-one. It was another peaceful night in late summer.   
  
"Ne, Sendoh-san? You like my brother, don't you?" he asked out of the blue. I could only stare at him. He looked thoughtful.  
  
"Why ask?"  
  
"You were staring at him the whole time he was here, like you couldn't get your eyes off him. I betcha you even memorized his every movement. Okaachan told me that that's what happens when somebody likes someone. I don't understand it, though," he explained. I smiled and ruffled his head.   
  
"How old are you?"  
  
"I just turned seven last month."  
  
"You're a bright kid. What's your name?"  
  
"I don't like it."  
  
"Why? What is it anyway? Goofy? Snorthledop? Buttercup? Footbill?"  
  
He laughed as he hugged the big orange ball. Hmmm, Rukawa didn't notice he has it, eh?   
  
"Those are stupid names," he said.   
  
"Then what is your name?"  
  
He looked at me and smiled. "Kaede. Rukawa Kaede."  
  
"No kidding?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"You swear on your pinky finger?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
Two Kaedes in one family. One's a walking ice block, and the other's a little demon. And I have to laugh at the insanity of it all...   
  
I wonder what kind of parents those two have?  
  
"So, tell me, Kaede Jr... what were your other adventures?"  
  
"I'll tell you if you tell me yours."  
  
"I'll not only tell you, I'll teach you some of it!"  
  
***********  
tsu.zu.ku  
***********  
  
Ne, that's it for Chapter Two!  
Boring? Gomen! I'll try harder!  
Please review so I'd know if I did a good job or not...   
(Shinri, you dolt! Read and review! You too, miku!)  
Oh well, look out for Chapter Three: AKIRA JR., Little Cupid ^_^  
ja!  
Aki-chan 


	3. AKIRA Jr, Little Cupid

Title: Kaede Jr.  
Author: Aki Midori   
Mail me at: autumn_wind04@yahoo.com  
Warnings: Yaoi, OOC (i think)(intended), OC... the works  
Pairing: SenRu (what else?)  
Rating: G - PG  
Genre: Romance/Humor (I hope)  
  
Author's Yap:   
Not too much today... eh well, just wanna thank all those people who reviewed... You guys sure knew how to boost up my morale! Here's your chapter three, and I hope you'll enjoy it! Sorry for the typographical errors... They're all over the stuff. Next time, I'll be more careful...   
  
Again, I want to say that this is for all the SenRu fans... Yes! This is a SenRu!!! Belated Happy Birthday, Akira! This chapter's for you! Yeah, I know, his birthday was days ago... but oh well. And yeah, this fic is also for miku... the brat who wrote Expectations and Game Again and Title behind my back... She had the gall to let me find out for myself that my friend is actually booming here in FF.Net... Hmp! I still haven't forgiven you for making me cry, you dolt! :P To my pals, qkslvr and White Meteor and all the others... thanks for being my pals. Your mails brighten up my day.   
  
(So much for 'not too much yapping today'...)  
  
Enjoy! ^_^  
  
Disclaimers:  
*Aki-chan pointing gun at Rukawa's brain*  
Kaede: I... b-belong t-to A-Aki-chan...  
*Aki-chan pointing gun at Sendoh's *Toooot**  
Aki-chan: Say it or I'll shoot.  
Sendoh: I belong to Aki-chan! I promise!   
*Bang!*  
Sendoh: Watch it, Aki-chan! I said it already!  
*Bang!* *Bang!*  
Aki-chan: I've always been trigger-happy... Literally. Nyahahahaha!   
*looks at Kaede Jr.* Hey, kid, what about you?  
Kaede Jr: Yours, of course, Aki-neechan...^_^  
Aki-chan: Good boy... ^______^ Wanna borrow this thing?  
Kaede Jr: Hai!  
(Hehe... borrowed the disclaimer from Shinri...^_^... but mine's a bit more brutal.)  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Kaede Jr.  
Chapter Three: AKIRA Jr., Little Cupid  
  
"Wake up! Wake up, you big meanie! You promised we'll go out today!"   
  
What did I do to deserve this? The little monster actually barged into my room while I was sleeping oh-so-peacefully, jumped into my bed, jumped over me like he would to a donkey, and jumped and jumped and jumped on my back until I opened my eyes. And of course, giving him a dirty look did not work one bit. So I did what I could.   
  
I ignored the brat and tried to get back to sleep.  
  
*Ow!* The f****** maggot actually had to bite me. Hard.  
  
"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!"  
  
"Away."   
  
"Up! Up! Up! Up! Up! Up! Up! Up!"  
  
Sleep! Sleep! Sleep! Sleep!   
  
"Wake up! You promised!"  
  
"Correction... you coerced me into agreeing."  
  
"Ne, what does co-erced mean?"  
  
"Nothing that could be deciphered by that puny brain of yours. Now go away."   
  
"What does de-zi-ferd mean?"  
  
"Go away."  
  
"Waaaaaaaake uuuuuuuuuuup!!!!!!!!"  
  
*Thud!*  
  
"Ow!"  
  
"Serves you right, you big meanie! Hmmp!"   
  
I gave the little monster the dirtiest stare (probably Sakuragi's 'The Glare') I could muster, but it didn't work. As the last remnants of sleep faded away from me, I discovered the mess my brother made...   
  
Feathers were all over the place... That would explain the absence of my pillows. Books were scattered on the floor... That would explain the loud thuds I heard earlier. I could barely make out the words 'Kaede Jr. King of the World' was engraved deeply on my desk... That would explain the scra- Wait a minute...   
  
"Shit, you used a sharp object?" I asked. The demon happily bobbed his head up and down. "Don't ever hold a sharp object again, you little doofus. You could have been hurt!"  
  
"Bring me to the theme park," he said.   
  
Remember your mantra, Rukawa Kaede. You're calm, you're cool, you're the Ice Prince. You're the Ace of Shohoku. King of Monotony. You don't even say any other words which go beyond the necessary insults that should be bestowed upon a certain red headed moron. You are fuckin' calm, cool, and collected. You will not blow your head off because your freakin brother might have been injured while engraving something which would stroke his goddamn ego. You are so goddamn calm, that you will just stand up, go to the bathroom, take a warm shower, and prepare yourself so you could bring the little maggot to the freakin' theme park.   
  
And why the hell do I feel that something is *very* different today? Something's not quite the same... I couldn't put my finger on it.  
  
Yes, my room's a mess, thanks to that freak who's currently *redecorating* my bed. Yes, my room *is* a bit 'different' from its former spic and span state. Okay, fine, it made a whole lot difference... But no... it's not it. Look around and -   
  
What the hell...   
  
Are those SPIKES on my brother's head?  
  
I shook my head to wake my still hibernating cerebrum, and stared hard at the little demon.   
  
He used to be such a cute kid. Demonic, but cute. Blue eyes, like mine... Chubby face, like mine used to be... Pale skin, like mine... Gorgeous, unruly, jet-black hair, like mine...  
  
Now, he is the miniature version of my greatest rival.   
  
Yes, I understand that since their meeting the other day, my brother actually worshipped that smiling 'aho, probably because they came from the 'same kind', but I never thought that he would throw his damn gorgeous looks just so he could look like a damned hedgehog. This kid is going too far.   
  
"You like my spikes?" he asked innocently. "I did it myself!"   
  
"Hell, no," I snapped. "Fix your hair."  
  
"Hell, no," he said, echoing my former words.  
  
"Don't swear."  
  
"You just did."  
  
"I'm older."  
  
"Okasan said that-"  
  
"Fine!" I snapped before he could undergo a full-length speech on our mother's lectures on morality.   
  
"Come on! The theme park is cool! And besides, I heard your cap'n say that you don't have a prac-tice today because the theme park is soooo good that we were recommended to go! And-"  
  
He rattled on and on and on and on but I barely listened. The kid is such a chatterbox, and I still love my eardrums, thank you very much. I just snatched a blue printed towel (which was PLAIN before) from somewhere and went down to the only bathroom in this house, leaving the yapping tike alone on my harrassed room.   
  
Where did my peace and solitude go? Those quiet times seemed so far away, they were like scenes from a distant dream. The hot shower actually worked its magic on my raging nerves. That kid is my living nightmare. I don't know why the hell he grew up like that. I was a mischief when I was kid, but hell, I don't make anybody's life a living hell. What's worse is that the tike could actually get away with the troubles he make with a stupid smile and a single bat of his stupid eyelashes.   
  
And to think that my parents thought that he was a little *angel*. It confirmed my suspision that there *is* something wrong with my parents' brains. Little angel my ass.   
  
Which reminds me... just yesterday, when I brought him to practice with me (I have no other choice, do I?), he acted like the perfect kid. He just sat there on one corner and watched the whole practice. Of course I didn't waste any time displaying my skills to the brat, but he seemed unimpressed and bored. Oh well, I thought... He doesn't like basketball, anyway. But he looked okay with the women and the benchwarmers fussing over him. He was also talking to Haruko's little cousin. He just smiled and chatted with the everyone and laughed with them.   
  
All in all, he acted normal. He was so goddamn behaved, that chills ran down my spine. I knew that something's wrong. I checked everything. The shower room, the locker room, the balls, the walls, my bags, the lockers... everything. But nothing's wrong.   
  
Up until now, suspicion was still creeping through my veins. Yeah, I guess I should give him more credit. Maybe he could change and actually be behaved and nice, but judging from what he did just now... I don't think so. I lived with that kid for seven years. I know him inside-out. Of course he's up to something. I'd find out sooner or later.   
  
Just now, I should enjoy my shower. It was only during my moments inside this bathroom that I could get the quiet and peace I oh-so-deserved. In here, there could be no demons. No mess. No chaos.   
  
Why did that stupid kid spiked his hair? What is it that Sendoh had that drew the kid to him? They bonded almost instantly. I could feel it. The little turd actually lights up when he sees that smiling rival of mine. Also yesterday, when I was playing one-on-one with Sendoh, the kid actually cheered for him. Talk about betrayal. Suddenly, they were like best buds.   
  
Oh well, birds of the same feather flock together. Let those demons unite, for all I care. I just hope they'd leave me alone. Especially that Sendoh.   
  
Yesterday, he was smiling even more than usual. He was burning even more than usual. He was so *happy* for some reason. He was grinning like the hentai that he is. He was bright and bubbly and he irritated the hell outta me. I would have left him grinning alone, if only he wasn't so damn gorgeous yesterday.   
  
Yes... I admit. I actually thought he looked more gorgeous than usual yesterday. I don't know why, though. He was just wearing a simple white shirt and blue shorts. Nothing different.   
  
Must be sunstroke.   
  
Must be exhaustion from babysitting the spawn of the devil.   
  
Or maybe it was just the way he *shone* yesterday.   
  
Whatever it is, I don't want to know.   
  
"Are you sleeping in there? Hurry up, will ya!" the bakemono shouted from outside as he pounded on my door. I sighed and turned off the shower. I must have been in here for an hour or so. Oh well... back to hell again.   
  
I dried myself slowly, deliberately annoying my little brother. I wrapped the towel around my waist, took a deep breath, and opened the   
door.   
  
... Only to have flour dumped all over me.   
  
How could he have set a booby trap that fast?   
  
Two words...  
  
Sendoh Akira.  
  
Remember your mantra, Rukawa Kaede. You're calm, you're cool, you're the Ice Prince. Turn on your heels, go back to the shower, and ignore those two ignoramus laughing their heads off.   
  
***********  
  
Why did he have to look so goddamn handsome today? And who told him he could come with me and the halfwit to the theme park? How did he find out that we were going out anyway? Why does he have look so cool? How did he get inside the house? Where was the flour from? The terrorists are together, so am I entitled to die today? Why do I have the feeling that I'm going to prison at the end of the day? Why are they so close? What are they laughing at now? How much more disasters are going to happen? What am I eating? Why is Sendoh looking so gorgeous? Where did that pair of sunglasses came from? Why did my brother suddenly have the same pair? What am I doing here? Where am I? What am I? Who am I?  
  
Am I making any sense at all?   
  
Maybe not.   
  
It was knocked out when I walked out of the bathroom for the second time (thank heavens there were no more booby traps), and I finally saw Sendoh Akira without flour and anger obscuring my view.   
  
He took my breath away, damn it.   
  
What's so cool about that blue polo shirt and blue loose jeans and that stupid sunglasses anyway? What's so cool about that smile, or about his whatever? What's so cool about the suave way he smiled as he took off those sunglasses, and said,  
  
"Hi! I hope you don't mind my joining you, but Kae-chan invited me and I just couln't resist.'   
  
Nothing is so cool about that. It's not even cool at all! And what was that 'Kae-chan' thing? He made my brother sound like a nitwit!   
  
So now I'm walking a little behind those two idiots who are currently whispering about and nudging each other like they've been best buds all their pathetic lives, with no freakin' idea as to why I'm here. I should be home. At my bed. Sleeping. Dreaming about victory and its glory.  
  
What do I get instead?  
  
A lousy day at the theme park with two lousy idiots for companions.   
Life couldn't get any worse, right?   
  
Next thing I knew, a cotton candy was shoved into my face by a smiling Sendoh.  
  
"Ne, Rukawa-kun, I hope you like cotton candies," he said as he practically beamed at me. Why is he so damn perky today?   
  
"Eat it. It's good," my brother said as he shoved huge pieces of the fluffy candy into his mouth.   
  
"It's pink," I said. Ever since I was born I had the aversion to the color pink. Don't know why, though. Maybe I just hate *happy* and *perky* colors.   
  
"It's good," he insisted.   
  
"But it's pink."   
  
"But Akira-niichan bought it for you!"   
  
Akira-what?!   
  
I looked at the two co-conspirators of my agony and saw them smiling happily at each other. They looked as if *they* were the siblings. Since when did my brother start calling him oniichan? He never even called *me* that. Come to think of it, he never addressed me as anything but 'you big meanie' or something else. He never called me by my name. Nor did I ever hear him address me as Kaede-niisan, or just plain oniisan. I don't know how that happened, but it did. And now I'm actually hearing the word 'oniisan' from him, but it wasn't addressed to me.   
  
Am I supposed to feel this pang of hurt I'm feeling now? Am I supposed to feel betrayed? No, maybe not. Anyway, I never called him by his name, either. I realized just now that I've never even used the name 'Kaede' on him. I called him tons of names... from maggot to imp to turd to nitwit... but not once have I called him Kaede. But at least I still regard him as my brother.  
  
No, I have no right to feel hurt. After all, it's just the little demon we're talking about. I never really liked him anyway. He's just a big pain in the ass.   
  
"Rukawa-kun, is something wrong?" Sendoh asked. "You're more quiet than usual." Oh no, you don't. Don't be worried about me. Nothing's wrong. You just stole my brother from me. How could anything be wrong?  
In fact, I should even thank you, right? After all, I did nothing except to berate his existence. No, nothing's wrong.   
  
"The cotton candy. Eat it," my brother said. I gave both of them my best glare that could rival the do'aho's death glare and grabbed the stupid cotton candy from Sendoh.   
  
"Thanks," I muttered. Sendoh beamed again and happily placed an arm around my shoulder, causing chills to run down my spine. I stiffened instantly, out of instince maybe. If he noticed it, he paid no attention. He just continued to walk with me as he held the little nincompoop with his other hand.   
  
"Hey, look at that!" my brother exclaimed as he looked at the huge boat which swung to and fro. "I wanna ride there!"   
  
"You sure?" Sendoh asked.  
  
"Yup, yup!"   
  
"Let's go get the tickets," Sendoh said as he pulled us both to the ticket booth. The brat couldn't stand still when we were standing in line. He was having the day of his life. Good for him.   
  
When it was our turn for the ride, I wasn't very surprised when he sat next to Sendoh. I just took my place at the corner, Sendoh next, then my brother, as the operator secured the metal bar in place. Geez, what's a metal bar to do when the one it's supposed to protect is more than six feet tall?   
  
The huge boat started to swing, and my brother and Sendoh started to squeal. Yes, Sendoh actually *squeled*. Jeez, what a moron. As the boat swung higher, I noticed that Sendoh was squeezing himself to me. Jeez, the boat swings to and fro, not from side to side. And right now, Sendoh's arm was around my shoulder again as he whooped with joy with every swing.   
  
What is this warm feeling?   
  
Must be the humidity.  
  
And then I saw that the little ninny was actually pushing Sendoh to me. What is he up to? Thankfully, the ride was over. As we piled out the stupid boat, I felt the after-effects of the ride. My stomach was  
actually whirling, I had to sit down at a nearby bench.   
  
"Ninny! Ninny! Ninny!" the little demon was exclaiming. He was making fun of me.   
  
"Shut up, do'aho." Perfect rebuttal.  
  
"Ninny! Ninny!"   
  
"Ne, little brat, you shouldn't do that to your older brother," Sendoh scolded gently. The little traitor actually ceased jumping up and down and left me alone. Sendoh looked at me, concern etched in his normally perky face, his eyes boring holes into mine. "Are you alright?"  
  
I chose to keep quiet.   
  
Why does his eyes have to be so *blue*?   
  
The little brat tugged on his sleeve and whispered something, breaking off our eye contact. He listened intently, nodding every now and then, his face lightening up with every nod. What are these two long-horned demons up to now?   
  
Oh well, so long as they leave me alone, I'll be okay. I looked around the place and saw a white signboard saying 'No picking of flowers'. Sheesh, why does someone have to make his life complicated? Couldn't he have just written, 'Don't pick the flowers' or something like that? If he wants to be unique, he could have said 'Don't touch the damned flowers'. What kind of stupid warning is 'No picking of flowers'?   
  
"Ne, Rukawa-kun, what are you thinking of?" Sendoh asked.   
  
"Nothing." Just berating some stupid man for writing that stupid sign. I'm thinking of stupid things so I wouldn't think of my brother's betrayal. Of how he would follow your orders with one simple reprimand while he ignores me. I'm thinking of a stupid signboard so I won't be able to feel this acute pain I felt when I realized that you've been close to my brother in the span of a few days when I myself have tried to reach out to him for years (before I finally gave up), but he never even noticed me. I'm thinking of the stupid flowers so I wouldn't be able to ask myself the question: "Where have I gone wrong?"   
  
Where have I gone wrong in trying to get along with my brother? Somewhere along the way, I must have done something wrong. I don't know when, I don't know why, I don't know how. Did I do something to hurt him? None that I know of. I've grown weary of trying to get along with him. I've grown weary of trying to make him look up to me as a brother. Weariness turned to annoyance. No one can blame me. He *is* annoying. He's such a little monster. I don't know why, though. He doesn't lack attention. He's gotten too much, as far as I'm concerned. He doesn't have a traumatic past or something. His mental health is all right.   
  
Maybe he's just that way because that's the way he is.   
  
Am I making any sense at all? Maybe not.   
  
Oh well, I'm thinking of that stupid signboard so I wouldn't think of how good this moron beside me looks today. I'm thinking of the stupid signboard because I've suddenly had this strange feeling stirring up inside me whenever he touches me, or smiles at me, or looks at me. I'm thinking of the possible fallacies of the stupid signboard because I don't want to find out as to why he evokes so much feelings in me. It's so goddamn pathetic and cheesy. I'm not one of those things.   
  
I'm thinking of the stupid signboard because I don't want to admit that I'm jealous.   
  
I'm jealous of Sendoh because he's closer to my brother than I have ever been.  
  
I'm jealous of the little brat because he's closer to my rival (and perhaps my only friend) than I have ever been.  
  
I'm jealous because they got along so well with each other. It was as if I was left alone in the background.   
  
But then again, isn't that what I wanted? Isn't that why I don't talk to much (well, I think too much, that's what), and avoid people too much? Because I want to be left alone? Because I want solitude and peace?   
  
I'm thinking of the stupid signboard because I don't want to think of the things I'm thinking of now.   
  
So I divert my attention towards an innocent signboard which says,  
'No picking of flowers.'  
  
I could barely make out whispers of 'Thank you, pal!' and 'Anytime, niichan' as I stared daggers at the poor signboard. Should I criticize another item? If the signboard is alive, he would be weeping by now. I've been too hard on it.  
  
"Ne, Rukawa-kun..." I looked at him. He smiled at me. Butterflies flew in my stomach. Must be hunger.   
  
"Nanda?"  
  
"For you." And he handed me a bunch of pathetic looking flowers which were still dripping wet, roots protruding from the stem.   
  
"What the hell are those?"   
  
"Ah... flowers?" He was cringing now.  
  
Like duh.   
  
"For what?"  
  
"For you?" Cringing even more...   
  
"Where in the earth's surface did you get those?" I asked. He looked at Kaede (so I called him that, already... I'm tired of thinking of other names) and the brat smiled sheepishly. He was hiding his hands behind his back.   
  
Somehow, I have the feeling that something's going wrong. Something must have transpired while I was deep in my thoughts.  
  
From a distance, I saw a strange-looking old man running towards us at great speed (rivalling that of Miyagi's during fastbreak), whilst pulling a wheelbarrow with one hand and holding a familiar sign on the other. As he got nearer, I could see the faint traces of anger etched on his wrinkled face. And I could actually make out the familiar stupid words on the familiar stupid signboard...  
  
No picking of flowers, it said.   
  
"Damn yer little juveniles!" he exclaimed. He's getting nearer. "Can't yer read the damn signboard?" He looked potentially dangerous.   
  
"Is that an ax on his wheelbarrow?" Sendoh asked, his eyes widening as the gardener yet got nearer. People were now looking at us with curiosity.   
  
Kaede was tugging on my pants, and as I looked down, I saw his soiled hands. Then I looked at the now wilting flowers on Sendoh's hand. He kept tugging. The crazed gardener dropped the wheelbarrow (was he a super man or something?) and pulled out a glinting ax. I gulped. Sendoh did the same. Kaede kept on tugging at my pants.   
  
"What?"   
  
"Ne, what does ju-ve-nile means?" he asked.   
  
"Damn yer good-for-nothing teenyboppers! Yer molested my pretty babies!" the lunatic cried out as he waved his ax in the air. Is he gonna kill us?  
  
Okay, Rukawa Kaede. This is your where your mantra comes in. You're calm, you're cool, you're the Ice Prince.  
  
"Don't ask," I snapped as I scooped the little troublemaker and ran for my life, a yelping Sendoh close behind.  
  
Why is life so complicated?   
  
**********************  
  
Did I do something wrong? Did I? Someone tell me now, so I wouldn't be thinking of how unfair life has been to me. What did I do wrong? Somebody tell me, please.   
  
I don't deserved to in this *jail* with the two antagonists of my life.   
  
Why is this happening to me? All I wanted in life is to have my solitude and win all the games I'm ever going to have and be the best goddamn player in the whole freakin' world. Is that too much to ask for? Why am I locked inside a stupid room with this two morons who are crying their hearts out?   
  
"...So you gotta hang on till tomorrow...." Ah Kami-sama, not the high note.  
Please not the high note... "Come what maaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!" Ah shit. "Tooooooo-morrow! Tomorrow! I love ya, tomorrow! You're always a day aaaawaaaaaaaay."   
  
Someone shoot me please.   
  
I should have let that crazy gardener kill me with that ax, than stay here inside a closed, soundproof karaoke room with two lunatics who have nothing better to do than croak and molest their vocal chords. And the two monsters had the gall to tie me up in a chair after my third attempt of escape. Shall I thank them for not gagging me?   
  
"Hey, Rukawa-kun, wanna try one song?" Sendoh asked as he pushed the mic towards me. I choose to ignore the baka before me.   
  
"Why don't you sing a song for him, Akira-niichan?" Kaede suggested.   
  
"No thanks," I interjected before Sendoh could actually agree. "My ears could only hold so much torture, thank you very much."   
  
"You haven't heard him when he *really* sings," Kaede argued. "Go ahead, Akira-niichan. Show the big meanie what you've got."   
  
Sendoh smiled at him and patted his head before he took the mic. When he looked back at me, his eyes lost all its mischief and were replaced by utter sincerety. Deep pools of blue stared at me as he walked over to the karaoke set and punched the numbers for the song. His eyes never left mine even as the first chords sounded off. I was drawn to him. It feels so strange. So alien.   
  
Should I be thinking of signboards again?   
  
*Tomorrow morning if you wake up  
and the sun does not appear  
I, I will be here.  
If in the dark we lose sight of love  
hold my hand, have no fear  
cause I, I will be here*  
  
He has no right whatsoever to have a freakin good voice like that. Where was the croaking, crying, vocal-chord-molesting Sendoh Akira earlier?   
  
Damn, where are those stupid signboards when you need them?   
  
*I will be here when you feel like being quiet  
When you need to speak your mind, I will listen  
And I will be here when the laughter turns to crying  
Through the winning, losing and trying, we'll be together  
'Cause I will be here*  
  
You will be where?   
  
*Tomorrow morning if you wake up  
and the future is unclear  
I, I will be here  
Just as sure as seasons are made for change  
Our lifetimes are made for these years  
So I, I will be here*  
  
I'm calm, I'm cool, I'm the Ice Prince.   
  
*I will be here, so you can cry on my shoulder  
When the mirror tells us we're older, I will hold you  
And I will be here to watch you grow in beauty   
And tell you all the things you mean to me  
I will be here*  
  
Who's beautiful?  
  
*I will be true to the promise I have made  
To you and to the one who gave you to me, oh oh*  
  
Who gave who to whom?  
  
*I, I will be here  
And just a sure as seasons are made for change  
Our lifetimes are made for these years  
So I, I will be here  
We'll be together  
Cause I will be here  
I... will be here*  
  
Silence.   
  
More silence.   
  
He was staring at me. I was staring at him. The bakemono was staring at us.   
  
More silence.   
  
My palms are sweating.   
  
My armpits are sweating.  
  
Why did he sing that song?   
  
More silence. More staring.   
  
And then he suddenly stood up, freed me from those ropes (where they got that, I don't want to know), and walked towards the door.   
  
"Let's go out and eat. I don't think the gardener would still be hunting for us," he said in tone I have never felt before. He sounded dejected. Kaede and I could only follow him in silence as we walked out of the rented karaoke room. It was mid-afternoon already. The air was humid while we were walking towards nowhere, with Sendoh a few steps ahead of me and my brother.   
  
Again, I felt the tugging on my pants. I looked down to my brother and I was actually surprised to see him serious. I raised an eyebrow in question and he bobbed his head towards Sendoh.   
  
"What?" I mouthed.  
  
"Cheer him up," he mouthed back. I looked at Sendoh's dejected form and felt the insistent tugging again.  
  
"Fine," I whispered. How do I get a moping guy's attention? Heck, why is he moping, anyway? My brother yet again tugged at my pants and touched his throat. Hey, I actually have a bright kid for a brother. Can this twerp read minds?   
  
I cleared my throat and yeah, I got Sendoh's attention.  
  
Now what do I say?   
  
*Tug*  
  
I looked down. Kaede bobbed his head again towards the forlorn hedgehog.   
  
"Er, you have a nice voice," I said... albeit awkwardly. Hey, I'm not used to this bullshit, no one can blame me. "Good song, too."   
  
Did he just brighten up? "Thanks," he said and smiled and walked alongside me and Kaede. And *then* there was a tug on my pants again. I sighed. One more tug and it will fall off.   
  
"What?"   
  
"I want that teddy bear," Kaede said, while pointing to a brown, fluffy, chubby bear with a red tongue sticking out a smiling mouth, almost as big as he is, sitting on top of a shelf. Probably the prize for the shooting game.   
  
"I'll get it for you," Sendoh said and pulled us both towards the booth. The rule says that the player has to shoot ten of the moving ducks for the bunny. Twenty for a stupid-looking dog, and thirty for the huge bear. And needless to say, the shaking moron who was holding the gun missed fifteen out of thirty all. Kaede pouted.   
  
"Do'aho," I mutter. To think that this dolt is a basketball player. I tried my luck and of course, being the great tensai that I am, I won. The smiling operator handed me the bear and I practically threw it towards the waiting brat. He actually squealed and hugged it so tight and he smiled at me.  
  
I made him happy.  
  
Somehow, it's enough.   
  
Sendoh had been gone the whole time I was shooting the moronic-looking ducks, and when he came back, he had with him a huge, white teddy bear.   
  
"I already won one," I stated.  
  
"Er, actually, I bought this one," he said sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head.   
  
"You don't think I'd win, do you?" This moron dare doubt my shooting prowess?  
  
"No!" he protested. "No... actually this little brat told me while you were busy shooting that you like teddy bears too and since I can't win one since I'm kinda shaky though I don't know why I am, I bought this for you. So... well... Here."  
  
The great, suave Sendoh Akira stuttered stupidly. Where's a tape recorder when you need one?   
  
He thrusted the bear towards me again. I automatically accepted it. He actually beamed. He is the most complex man I've ever met my entire life. He beams everytime I notice him, he looked happy when he's with me, et cetera, et cetera. And then, there was the song. Could it be that he-  
  
No, don't think of *that*.  
  
Are there any more stupid signboards?  
  
"Cute bear," a tiny female voice said, breaking my reverie I looked down and saw a little girl with brown ringlets and *pink* cheeks and a *pink* dress. I remember this girl from yesterday. He was talking with Kaede and the other members of the team. This one's Haruko's little cousin!   
  
Was Kaede actually standing tall? Did he just *fix* an imaginary mess in his *spiked* hair? Was he *blushing*?   
  
Was this girl the reason why the little demon was acting behaved and gentle-mannered yesterday? Whaddaya know... even demons could have crushes. I looked at Sendoh and he was actually smirking. Hn... he's enjoying the scene.  
  
"His name's Mr. Teddy."   
  
"Honto? I wish my Take-niichan could give me one of those," she sighed wistfully.   
  
"I wish I could give this to you, but I like this one," Kaede said almost wistfully.   
  
"Oh well, Take-niichan and Haruko-neechan could get me one of those," the girl said and smiled. "I got to go now, Kaede. Haruko-neechan must be looking for me. Ja!"   
  
"Won't you get lost?" Sendoh asked.  
  
"Nope. There they are," the little doll said. I saw Haruko and Akagi-sempai walking towards me and my company.   
  
"Rukawa-kun! What a surprise to see you here!" Haruko exclaimed.   
  
"I'm with them," I said.   
  
"I heard you're doing great," Akagi-sempai said. I nodded. "You never changed."   
  
"Oh well, we wanna stay and chat, but our parents are here and their waiting for us," Haruko said. "Come on, Kim[1], let's go. Say good-bye to Kaede Jr. now."   
  
"Bye, Kaede," she said as she walked away with her two cousins. Akagi-sempai and Haruko-sempai waved one last time before disappearing into the crowd.   
  
The little twerp was just staring right ahead.   
  
And yet again, there was a tug at my pants.   
  
"I want that dolphin," Kaede said as he struggled to hold the huge bear and pointed at a blue crystal dolphin inside a store full of breakable things. Jeez... it was as if nothing happened at all. The gentle-mannered, kind, poised Kaede was gone. The devil is back.   
  
"What do you need that for?" I asked.  
  
"Okaachan loves dolphins, right?" he countered. I sighed in defeat as we trudged towards the store, me and my brother holding huge, fat teddy bears.   
When we got inside, I told the brat to stay away from the crystals, especially since he was struggling with a bear as big as he.  
  
"Here, let me hold that for you," Sendoh offered as he tried to pry the bear off Kaede's grasp. Kaede resisted.  
  
"It's mine."   
  
"I know. I'm only gonna hold it for you for a while because it's dangerous for you to carry huge but cute things here. You can't see anything with Mr. Teddy blocking you view, right? You might crash into those," Sendoh said while pointing towards the crystal displays. For once since I've seen them together,   
Kaede shook his head defiantly at Sendoh.  
  
"It's mine." He held it tighter.  
  
"Lemme just hold it for a while. It's dangerous." Sendoh pulled harder.  
  
Next thing I knew, they were engagin in a tug of war. They were getting nearer the crytals. I was about to tell them to lay it off when Kaede lost grip on the teddy's arm which threw Sendoh off balanced and sent him hurtling towards the crystals with a loud crash. Kaede tripped on his feet in surprise and fell towards another shelf of crystals.   
  
Kami-sama... why me?   
  
*******************  
  
"Hey, is he hurt?" Sendoh asked as we walked home.   
  
"No," I replied.   
  
The sun was already setting when we got out of the crystal shop. Sendoh insisted to pay for all the damage. I offered to pay for half of it since this little terminator caused half of it, but he wouldn't listen.   
  
Now, I'm carrying both the sleeping troublemaker (he dropped dead the moment we finished cleaning up the mess he and his co-terrorist did) AND his teddy bear (still wouldn't let go of it). Sendoh was carrying mine.   
  
"I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused," he said.  
  
"That coming from an instigator such as yourself?" I asked. He grinned sheepishly. "It's okay. I'm used to trouble anyway. I've lived with this kid for all his life."   
  
"Ne, Rukawa-kun, I haven't seen you talked that much before," he said.   
  
I only shrugged. I may not talk a lot, but I *think* a lot. I say a lot of things on my mind. I don't see the point in so much talking, anyway. Words aren't very important to me.   
  
We finally reached my apartment and I tried fishing for my keys in my pocket, but to no avail of course. Sendoh gently placed the white teddy bear beside the door and fished for them himself. He was suddenly so close. His eyes bore into mine. Blue against blue.   
  
And suddenly, Kaede's hand shot upwards and pulled Sendoh towards me. And our lips touched for the briefest moment before I instinctively pulled away.  
  
I stood still.   
  
He stood still.   
  
We both looked at Kaede... the devil's advocate was still sleeping. Or pretending to be asleep. I don't know.   
  
"Hey," Sendoh said, breaking the deafening silence. "I guess I gotta go."  
  
"Sure."   
  
"Thanks for the wonderful day. You two are fun to be with," he said with a smile.   
  
"Sure."   
  
Rukawa Kaede, you wimp! Don't you have anything else to say?   
  
"Bye," Sendoh whispered and started to walk away.   
  
"Oi." He turned around with an- expectant?- look on his face. "Thanks for the day, too. I've had fun."  
  
"I'm glad," he said and smiled one last time before walking away. I stared at his retreating figure for as long as I could see him. When he disappeared from my sight, the little brat sighed and shifted in my arms.   
  
"You little maggot," I whispered, almost fondly, "you're not playing cupid, are you?"   
  
He grunted in response.   
  
"You are such a pain in the ass," I said and kicked the door open.   
  
The living room was still a mess, thanks to my little brother and his activities, of course. There were still some flour in front of the bathroom door. There were broken plates and glasses. There were paper airplanes, paper boats, paper-whatever everywhere.   
  
Oh well... home sweet home.   
  
I guess.  
  
**********  
tsu.zu.ku  
**********  
  
Ne! Sorry for the delay for this chapter! Got lots of things to do... Gomen, gomen! Thanks for all those who reviewed... you really helped a lot! I personally mailed all the signed reviewers to say a few words to them, and for those anonymous reviewers whom I can't personally mail, I just wanna give you a biiiiiiig hug and a biiiiiig thanks for reviewing.... *kiss**hug*   
  
And the song 'I Will be Here' was sung by Steven Curtis Chapman. Don't know when...  
  
[1] Yes, Kimmmyyyy, it's you! Ne, you still want to kidnap Kaede Jr? *grin*  
  
See you in the next chapters!  
Please review...  
ja!  
Aki-chan 


	4. Meet the Parents

Title: Kaede Jr.  
Blahblahblah...  
  
A/N:  
Hello, minna! I just resurrected from a long period of *slump*. Writer's block. Oral (or written?) constipation and diarrhea. Sorry for the delay. And yeah, I just re-read the previous fics and chapters I made... and realized that I have a lot of TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS around. SOOOOOO sorry for that. I'll be careful next time.   
  
Anyway, just wanna scribble a special hello to Jam, qkslvr (Don't forget your promise! ^_^), White Meteor, Cheeky, Jasmine, Wen, Kim, Ru-chan and the author extraordinaire, MIKU...  
  
And also, wanna say thank you to all these people whom I can't personally mail since either there are problems on their (or my) mail thingy, or because I have no way of knowing what their addies are:  
Scarlet Maple, Lady Blue, ding, Shinri Ayase (Never mind you. We see each other every freakin day.), Hibiki-chan, Akira and Vero... Thanks a lot for reviewing!  
  
Enjoy! ^_^  
  
Oh, one more thing: I'm sorry if the third chapter's title is misleading.. *scratches head*... That was kinda my goal, you know. But don't worry. There wouldn't be any Akira Jr. One little demon is enough in this ficcie. ^_^  
  
Last thing (I promise): I'm sorry about the Haruko-SEMPAI thing on chapter three. I was kinda disoriented when I was writing that chapter, two in the morning and all... Gomen!  
  
DiScLAimerS: Slam dunk doesn't belong to me. Is that enough?   
  
-----------------------------------------------  
Kaede Jr.   
Chapter Four: Meet the Parents  
  
  
I've never had a better day than this.   
  
This is the best day of my life.   
  
I've got to sit down and catch my breath. After all, that *kiss* did me in. Heh, that little squirt played cupid all day long. I didn't know he had it in him. I never imagined that a seven-year-old kid could have that much mischief. I've been running since I was sure Rukawa-kun... my Kaede couldn't see me anymore. I just feel *so* happy and giddy! Oh, this swing is okay.   
  
I've had so much fun in a few hours than I did in my whole lifetime. Spending time with *my* two Kaedes made me happier than I've ever been. I'm sooooo happy that a few moments earlier, I actually jumped high into the air and clapped my heels. I wonder what Kaede-kun (Am I becoming bolder, or what? Oh well, he couldn't hear me, anyway) would say if he saw me do that? Hn. He would probably roll his eyes at me again.   
  
Although yeah, there were a few *ehm* minor setbacks i.e. the flower thing, the teddy bear thing (I was so damn nervous... I wanted to make a good impression, and look what happened. Baka, Akira!), and the um... crystal crash thing (totally humiliating, ugh), but all in all, it was a perfect day. Kae-chan had been very helpful today. We talked a lot about Kaede-kun. What he likes, what he does, what he hates. The little tike was the one who suggested the flower thing. Too bad it didn't work out. The flowers were very pretty. Excluding, of course, the protruding roots and soil.   
  
One more special thing about today is that I've learned a lot more about Kaede in a few hours than all those times we were together. No one ever knew how caring that Ice Prince could be. No one but me. I know, because I've seen it myself.   
  
I've seen it in his unconscious way of caring for his brother.   
  
I've noticed those times he would scold his brother when the boy tripped, and called him names like little maggot, little devil, little whatever, whilst all the while dusting Kae-chan and fixing his little clothes.   
  
I've noticed those times when he would unconsciously pat his little brother's head when the little kid won some silly game. He kinda looked so proud.   
  
I've noticed the way he concentrated on the silly duck game so he could get Mr. Teddy for Kae-chan.   
  
And I've noticed that pained look in his eyes when Kae-chan called me oniisan.   
  
Although he doesn't want to admit it, he loves his brother very much. Blood is thicker than water, so they say. Kaede complains a lot about Kae-chan, but he still loves him. I know. I can feel it.   
  
I do wonder why they have a distant relationship, though. It was as if there was a barrier between them that prevents them from reaching out to each other. Whatever that thing is, I'll help them overcome it. After all, a half-wit would notice that despite their meanness (Akira, are you inventing terms?) to each other, they actually love each other. The thing is, they don't even notice that. Two proud Rukawas. I wonder... does pride really run through their family's veins? Those two are so damn amusing. I've never seen brothers like that. So kawaii!  
  
And what the heck... who would have thought that Kaede actually liked *teddies*? That is the discovery of a lifetime! I can't help but laugh... Ooops, there's a man looking at me in a strange way. He must have been thinking 'A spiked psycho was laughing all by himself, sitting on a swing that was way too little for him...'   
  
Oh, who the hell cares? We all have free will.   
  
Kaede liked teddy bears! Hah! Scoop of the century! I was pretty shocked myself when Kae-chan whispered that to me while Kaede was shooting the damn restless ducks. The Ice Prince of Shohoku... Teddy bears... It is the greatest oxymoron of the world.   
  
But the cutest, though.   
  
And it makes me feel *soooo* good to think that I'M the only one in Kanagawa who knows about it. I doubt he would tell anyone else. And he was pretty surprised when I presented him the kawaii teddy. Ch, don't worry, Kaede-kun... I won't tell anyone...  
  
And I have to laugh out loud again.   
  
These are tiny things. Little things. Little, but significant. Knowing these things about Rukawa Kaede made me fall even more for him. This time, I know I'm not in love with the mere calm and cool Ice Prince.  
  
I'm in love with Rukawa Kaede.   
  
Life is good.   
  
************************************  
  
It's been two days since that wonderful day with Kaede-kun, but I still have a hangover. The memories keep on playing in my mind. That pristine white polo shirt, that dark blue jeans, that ruggedly windblown jet-black hair...   
  
Not to mention that I've seen him wearing only a *towel*. I almost regretted putting up that booby trap. My hormones suddenly raged. Good thing I recovered and just focused on the funny sight of Kaede covered in flour.   
  
*Sigh*  
  
It's been two days since I last saw him. I've been pretty busy arranging my college papers and practice. Damn, I miss him and Kae-chan! I'm sure he's pretty busy, too, what with him being the next captain and all.   
  
*Double sigh*  
  
Koshino-kun scolded me again today because he said I was spacing out too much. Oh well, how could I tell him that my feelings for a certain blue-eyed boy is getting stronger by the day? How can I tell him that my feelings are about to burst... that I'm no longer contented with just playing and being with Rukawa, and that I'm starting to actually wish he would reciprocate the feelings I have for him?  
  
He would have laughed at me. After all, I am Sendoh Akira. I'm supposed to be the coolest guy in Ryonan! I'm a basketball god. Girls worshipped me. Guys idolized me. Teachers respect me. Newspaper reporters trip on their own two feet just to exchange a few words with me. I am the epitome of perfection! I could have had the prettiest girl in Kanagawa. Heck, I've had the prettiest girl in Kanagawa for my girlfriend! But I don't want anyone of those pretty girls.   
  
I want Rukawa Kaede.   
  
I had no idea it would hurt this much, though.  
  
I had no idea that wanting someone so much would hurt. I didn't know. All I know is to flirt with girls, tease them, date them, and then leave them brokenhearted. No one knew that I'm such an idiot when it comes to the real thing.   
  
I started to actually yearn for someone. Someone who's possibly so unreachable. It hurts, you know, when you want someone you know you couldn't have. He never thought of anything but basketball. If he have any thoughts on romance, then he would probably be straight. He gave no indications that he's gay, or bi, or whatever. No indications whatsoever. He's always that calm, cool Ice Prince, whose dead eyes would only come alive when he holds an orange ball.   
  
But I love him, nonetheless.   
  
*Triple Sigh*  
  
I wish my family was here. I wish I could talk this out with my oneesan, or my oniisan, or even my parents. We've always been a close-knit family. At times like these, I wish they're near me, so they could help me with my problems. Nowadays, though, it seems as though everyone's so busy, with me being far from them, parents working harder than usual, and my older brother and sister busy with their respective careers.   
  
Families shouldn't be taken for granted. I wonder what Kaede's family is like? Are they so quiet like him? Are they nice? Are they stiff and formal? After all, they're pretty rich. What kind of people are his parents?   
  
I suddenly want to know.   
  
I could picture Kaede's parents as one of those people who probably had afternoon tea while conversing politics or the stock market or something. They would probably be the corporate-looking type. Tuxedoes, shined leather boots, and a pipe for the father. Red gowns, manicured fingers, carefully styled hair for the mother.   
  
*Four sighs*  
  
Maybe I should do something other than stare out the window like some kid who's waiting for someone. Or a dog who's waiting for his master. Whatever.   
  
*Ring!*   
  
Now who could be calling me? Koshino, maybe? What does he want? Is he gonna berate me for moping inside the house on a bright Sunday afternoon?   
  
*Ring!* *Ring!*  
  
"Alright! I'm coming!" I shouted. Baka Akira. Do you actually think the person could hear that? Oh well. "Hello?"  
  
"May please speak with Sendoh Akira, please?" said a *very* familiar voice.  
  
"Speaking. Who's this?"  
  
"It's Rukawa."   
  
My heart leaped to my throat. My heart started to pound. I had the sudden impulse to *squeal*. This is RUKAWA we're talking about. And he's on the other line! He knows what my number is! He knows! He called!  
  
"Sendoh? Are you there?"  
  
"Ah, hai! *sweatdrop* I just uh... thought I saw a mouse." Lame excuse, you moron! The object of your affections is on the other end of the line and you act like a pathetic dweeb?  
  
"Do'aho."  
  
"Ehehehe... Ne, Rukawa-kun, what made you call?" I asked. Now that was suave. Cool one, Akira. And what is that I'm hearing on the background? Are those plates crashing? Heh, Kae-chan's at it again, eh?  
  
"The little exterminator who's currently redecorating my kitchen wants you here for dinner," he said in his usual monotone.   
  
"Ne, is that an invitation, Rukawa-kun?" I asked, my hopes flaring.  
  
"Call it as you wish," he replied.   
  
See? He's so far away! He's so cold. What are the chances of having a *relationship* with him? None, Akira. Don't get your hopes too high.   
  
"When would be a convenient time?" I asked, and have to make a face when I heard Rukawa shout 'Watch it!' then a loud crash following it.   
"Rukawa-kun! What happened?"  
  
"He insists on learning how to set the damn table," Rukawa replied. I stifled a laugh at his helpless and resigned tone. "Says he wants you here tonight."  
  
"Honto? Tonight?"  
  
"I just said that."  
  
"Oh. Sorry. Tonight then," I said. I don't know if I would smile or not. I'd be able to see him again, yeah... but then- Ah hell. Seeing him is better than nothing. "What time?"  
  
"Six would be fine," he said. And I heard him mutter, 'I'd have new plates by then.'  
  
"Okay. I'll be there at six p.m. sharp!" I said.   
  
"Oh, and my parents will be here, too. Don't know why, though. I hope you wouldn't mind," he said.  
  
"No! Not at all! I'd love to meet them," I said and smiled. I'm geting really excited now. What time is it? Darn! It's just two! What would I do for four hours?   
  
"I'll see you then," he said. There was another loud crash, followed by a loud, high-pitched ouch. Rukawa cursed, slammed the phone and the line went dead.   
  
"I'll see you, too," I whispered and gently replaced the handset.  
  
I'll see him again tonight. Though it's a wonderful experience, it also breaks my heart. Being near him, yet not being able to touch him. Talking to him, yet not being able to reach out and find out what his feelings are...   
  
My thoughts drifted to that moment when I was singing for him. I poured my heart and soul into that song, and all he did was just stare at me with that deadpan expression. A marble statue could have had more expressions than him. I could feel my heart breaking again as I remembered it. And I could feel it mending somewhat when he finally said that I was good. Simple words, awkwardly delivered...  
  
/Er, you have a nice voice. Good song, too./  
  
...but it lifted my spirit. He tried, and thinking about that... I guess it was enough.   
  
My thoughts drifted to that accidental kiss. No, I could never forget that fleeting moment, when his soft lips touched mine for the briefest seconds.. before he pulled away like he's been kissed by a demon with three horns or something. I was pretty hurt, yeah, but looking into those confused blue pools, I guess I couldn't blame him. He wasn't really used to human contact.   
  
And besides, for the first time ever, there was some *emotion* in those cold blue pools. There was something besides *nothing*. It made me feel kinda good that at least I could evoke some emotion in him. It made me feel good that I could actually affect him, even in the littlest way.   
  
I wonder... would he feel something for me if I showed my feelings? Or would he just *stare* at me like he did when I gave him flowers (plus my heart), or when I sang that song for him (which came from my heart). Maybe I should be bolder... try harder.   
  
Like that kiss. It did evoke some reaction.   
  
Or maybe something less, after all, I wouldn't want to push him away. But definitely bold.   
  
Tensai Akira! You are such a genius.   
  
With a renewed spirit I ran up to my room. I have to look my best tonight! Lemme see, where's that new cologne I bought? Ah, right here. Where's that new polo? That dark blue one? Here it is... Should I wear slacks, or jeans? His parents will be there, gotta make a good impression. Slacks, it is. Black, gray, white, or beige? Hmmmm... I'll go for the beige this time. Don't want to look too dark. Let me see... what about the shoes? Black leather, or brown? I'll go for the black. Should I wear a tie, or not? A tie'll look formal. I'll go get my one and only tie. I hope they won't mind the design, though. I haven't got any of those formal looking ties. Oh well, I hope they're okay with Winnie the Pooh.   
  
That's all set! Off to the shower you go, Sendoh Akira!   
  
***********************************************  
  
Don't be nervous. Calm down. Take a deep breath. You look great, just calm down. All you gotta do is wait a few seconds, and when your watch says six o'clock, push the doorbell, smile your best smile and say a suave, cool greeting.   
  
Five more minutes before six. Is my hair OK? Yep, it is.   
  
I imagined Kaede's otousan. Tall, sleek, formal. Must have had graying hair, but still slicked back, away from the face. He must be one of those CEO's who stood tall and dangerous. He must have intelligent and scrutinizing eyes. Lemme see... what have I learned about the current events? I've been reading since this afternoon. I've also read some from the stock market and also politics section of the newspaper. I really want to have a decent conversation with him...  
  
Three more... shit, what's this on my slacks? There, it's gone.   
  
I imagined Kaede's okaasan. Must be one of those slim, bored-looking, ballroom dancing, elite women. The perfect elite wife for the perfect elite husband. I imagined a sophisticated woman who wears gowns and who has sleek, manicured, dainty fingers. Must be one of those women who spends half of the day on the salon just so they could have their hair styled higher than mine could ever be.   
  
One more minute...  
  
Kaede and Kae-chan must have been calling them 'father' and 'mother'. They grew up with nannies. Maybe that's why Kaede is so quiet, and why Kae-chan is so *energetic*. They must have both craved for paternal and maternal affection.   
  
Ten more seconds... Do I look okay?  
  
Yep, I look so damn handsome tonight. What with me wearing my best polo and my best slacks and my new perfume and polished leather shoes, and my tie. My hair is so carefully spiked up, so I looked cool and formal at the same time.  
  
Five, four, three, two-  
  
Here goes everything...  
  
*Crash!*  
  
"Kae-chan!" It was a female voice. It doesn't sound bored or chic.   
  
"Okaachaaaan! It huuuuurts!" Must be Kae-chan. 'Okaachan, eh?'  
  
"Kaede, go get the first aid kit!" Male voice. Just like Kaede's. Only, it sounds more... alive. Not at all formal and stiff.   
  
"Do'aho." Now, now... who could have said that? ^_^  
  
"I'm not a do'aho! I just wanna help set the table!"   
  
"Hush now, sweetie, it'll be okay. Oniichan will go get the first aid kit for you..." His mom, maybe. 'Sweetie?'  
  
"Here you go, you little wimp."   
  
"Kaede! That's not a nice thing to say! Say sorry to your otouto." His mom again.   
  
"Yare yare... He's still alive, Okaasan."   
  
"What time will your friend come? The scallop's not done yet." It must be his dad. And scallop?! Wow...   
  
"Ne, Kaede, I heard that he's a really handsome fellow," Kaede's mom said. It wasn't the voices of elite, formal people. They sound like they're warm, happy people.   
  
I'm beginning to get the impression that I might have worn the wrong attire...   
  
"He's reaaaaaaally handsome! He's the cooooooolest guy I've ever met! He looks really really really really-"  
  
"Point taken, honey," an amused female voice said. I smiled.  
  
"-really good. See these spikes? I got it from him! Isn't it the coolest?"  
  
"Yes, sweetie, it's the coolest."   
  
"And you know what, Okaachan?"  
  
"No, what?"  
  
"I think he likes-"  
  
"You talk too much, squirt," Kaede interrupted. He must have done something because Kae-chan yelped.  
  
"Ow! The big meaning pinched me!"  
  
"Kaede..."  
  
"Did no such thing, Okaasan."  
  
"Did to!"  
  
"Did not."  
  
"Didtodidtodidto!"  
  
"I did not."  
  
This is getting too crazy. I pushed the doorbell. They went quiet.   
  
"Akira-niichan!" I heard Kae-chan cry out. There were shuffling footsteps, and next thing I knew, I was face-to-face with Kaede's-  
  
Older siblings.   
  
I didn't know he had any. The woman's brown hair was up in a high ponytail, and she had the same blue eyes like Kaede. Only warmer. Her skin tone was just like Kaede's. She's wearing an orange sweatshirt, blue jeans, and bunny slippers. The man had on a blue shirt, brown shorts, teddy slippers, and a *pink* apron, and he looked like an older, happier version of Kaede. Same hair, same eyes, though his skin was a little bit tanned. Kae-chan was right behind them, wearing a cute white shirt with a picture of a teddy's face on the center, suspenders, and blue shorts.  
  
"Ano... Komban wa," I greeted, feeling a little awkward. "I'm Sendoh Akira."   
  
"You're right, Kae-chan," the woman said. "He *is* handsome."   
  
"Cool tie," the man remarked. "I'd like to have one of those."   
  
"Come on in, Akira-niichan!" Kae-chan chirped. Both the man and woman gave way with warm, welcoming smiles as Kae-chan pulled me in. I saw Kaede coming out of the kitchen holding a dust pan with broken pieces of the plates.   
  
"Sendoh-" he started but stopped when he saw me. My palms suddenly began to sweat. Is something wrong with me? "What the hell are you wearing?"   
  
"Er, I couldn't decide on what to wear so..."  
  
We stared at each other for a long time. He was wearing a green sweatshirt and blue pants. Simple, but I've never seen him more adorable. My heart skipped a beat.   
  
"You look good," I said.   
  
"You too," he said. "You could pass off as one of otousan's executives, though."  
  
I could only smile sheepishly and scratch the back of my head. "Ano, Kae- Rukawa-kun... where are your parents? I didn't see them anywhere."   
  
"We're the parents," an amused voice behind me said. I've heard that voice earlier... that means...  
  
"We look young, don't we?" his dad joked. My eyes could've popped out of their sockets. What is it with this family?! Parents wearing bunny and teddy slippers, one troublemaker and one walking ice block... what the-  
  
"G-gomen!" I said as I bowed. "I didn't know. You look kinda young. I thought you were Rukawa-kun's older siblings."   
  
"My, my. A flatterer, too," Kaede's mom said as he fondly patted my shoulder.  
  
"I'm Rukawa Kyuichi, by the way," his dad said. "Cut the formalities and call me Kyuichi."  
  
"Rukawa Keiko. Pleased to make an acquaintance," she said as she took my hand and shook it. "Keiko would be fine."   
  
"Hai!" was all I can say.  
  
"Come on in, Sendoh-kun," Keiko said as he ushered me into the kitchen. Where is Kaede? Oh, there he is, in the background. Watching the scene with amusing (?) eyes. I almost halted when the aroma of the food attacked my olfactory senses. Good was an understatement. Heavenly was more like it. I stared at the food at the table. Am I drooling? Geez, I hope not.   
  
"I set the table!" Kae-chan declared as he beamed up at me.  
  
"Yeah, and Kaede made us replace the plates, too," Kyuichi-san joked as he ruffled Kae-chan's hair. "Sit down, everybody! The greatest chef in Japan has finished cooking the scallop! Nyahahahaha! Sit down, Sendoh-san. Don't be shy. I am the great tensai when it comes to the kitchen..."   
  
Man, he reminds me of a certain aka atama...   
  
Keiko-san ushered me to a seat right next to Kaede. She winked at me which made me wonder if she knew something. No... can't be. They wouldn't allow their son to have a realationship with the same gender...   
  
"Oi, roll up your sleeves, 'ahou. It might be stained." Kaede said in the same monotonous voice. I can't help but think that his voice was out of place in this happy family. But hey... he wants me to roll up my sleeves so my polo shirt won't be stained... he cares! He cares!   
  
"Come on son! Be happy! You have a guest, you know," Kyuichi-san mildly scolded. Kaede nearly scoffed. Kyuichi-san shook his head. "You are a sad, sad person. Brighten up, will ya?"  
  
"Yare," Kaede muttered.   
  
"Let's eat!" everyone said (with the exception of Kaede, of course), as we all dug in. One bite of Kyuichi-san's scallop brought tears to my eyes.  
  
"Ne, Kyuichi-san... It's good!" I said.   
  
"Nyahahahaha! What do you expect from a great chef like me?" he said.  
  
Kaede snorted.   
  
"Ne, Sendoh-san, how did you and our Kaede meet?" Keiko-san asked, opening a conversation. "Kaede doesn't talk very much, you see. He's a very shy person, even with us."  
  
I almost choked on my food. Shy?!   
  
"Gotcha there. Just kidding," Keiko-san said and smiled. "What I meant was that we don't get to spend too much time with Kaede since he's so busy with schoolwork and basketball, and we're so busy with our jobs, so we don't get to talk much. He did mention that he knew someone who's great at basketball though, and considers this person his rival. I'm very sure he's talking about you, though. So, how did you meet? Knowing Kaede, he would just say 'Basketball'. I wanna hear the story."  
  
Kaede was actually rolling his eyes! What a sight... hehehe...  
  
"Oh, it wasn't too significant," I said. "We met at a practice game about a year ago, when he was just a freshman. We got paired up, since our skills match, and that's about it. We started playing one-on-ones before they left for the Inter High last year."   
  
"I see," Kyuichi-san said thoughtfully. "You must be a very good player."  
  
"He is!" Kae-chan exclaimed, not wanting to be excluded from the conversation. "And he wins everytime, too!"   
  
"You must be very uncomfortable with those clothes," Keiko-san said. I gave her a stupid grin. "Don't tell me... you thought we were those stiff, formal, tea-drinking parents, didn't you?"   
  
"Uh... hai."  
  
Kyuichi-san and Keiko-san laughed. Kae-chan looked at the two laughing parents, shrugged and laughed as well. Kaede snorted again. I'm beginning to warm up to this family.   
  
"Don't worry. I'll have comfortable clothes for you after dinner," Keiko-san said.   
  
"No need, Keiko-san," I protested. "I'm fine." It was as though my words passed hollow ears.   
  
"Meet my mother," Kaede said, not looking up from his food. "The overprotective general."   
  
"Now, now, Kaede," Keiko-san warned, pretending to be hurt. But there was a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Ne, Kaede... don't you think Sendoh-san looked great tonight?"  
  
Kaede looked at me with the corner of his eye. I held my breath and waited for his answer. He said a small 'yeah' and ate his food again.   
  
"He must be your very good friend," Kyuichi supplied. Kaede looked at me again and said a small 'yeah'.   
  
"You two spend a lot of time together, ne?" Keiko-san asked.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"And do you hang out together and do something besides *basketball*?" Kyuichi-san asked.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Like-?" Keiko-san prodded.  
  
"Er, we sometimes eat together when our sessions ended too late," I supplied. I caught Kaede looking at me again before he looked away.   
  
"That's good," Kyuichi-san said. "Ne, Sendoh-san, we leave it to you to help our son improve his social life!"  
  
"I don't need a social life," Kaede said.  
  
"Sure, honey," Keiko-san said with a smile. She looked at my now empty plate and took it and dumped some more food in it. "Gotta eat some more, Sendoh-san. Athletes need lots of energy supplements."   
  
"Uh... hai!"   
  
"Ne, Okaachan, what does so-cial life and e-ner-gy sup... sup-"  
  
"Supplement," I volunteered.   
  
"Arigatou, Akira-niichan!" Kae-chan said. "What does that mean?"  
  
"Nothing that could be understood by that puny brain of yours," Kaede muttered.   
  
"That's another strike, Kaede," Kyuichi-san warned. Kaede gave out a small whistle and continued to eat whilst Keiko-san supplied the definition of the terms for Kae-chan.   
  
Comfortable silence wrapped around us afterwards. It gave me some time to look at each of them and smile to myself. They're all good people. This is a good family. Warm, loving parents, and perfect, adorable children. I looked at Kaede at the corner of my eye and smiled even more. He looks like he's so annoyed with everyone, but I can see the faint amusement in his eyes whenever his parents made a joke about something, or even when he looks at his family. He may not know or realize it, though. Probably, right now, he's thinking of how embarrasing his parents are. He's probably chanting do'aho and stupid and moron over and over again, but I can't miss that fond look in his eyes. Amazing how a quiet man could belong to such a bright and cheerful family.   
  
The thing is, even though Kaede is the odd-man of the family, he never looked out of place. He really *belonged* here. I doubt he knew that, too. He must have been thinking that all he wanted in life is to get away from this crazy bunch and live alone. But I can't miss the contented look in his eyes whenever he watches his family.   
  
With Kaede, words and direct actions are not important. It was what he felt that matters.   
  
Heaven help me... I'm falling in love with him even more. Right here. At his own dining table.   
  
"Eat more! Eat more!" Kyuichi said as he dumped more food into our plates.  
  
Yeah... life is good.  
  
*************************************************  
  
"Man, I've never eaten this much before!" I said as I plopped down the grass beside Kaede. He was sitting there, knees folded and arms draped carelessly over it while he was looking at the moon. His parents suggested that we go out and get some air while they clean up the kitchen. That is, after Keiko-san dumped a white shirt and blue shorts and rubber shoes in my arms and commanded me to change.   
  
"I'll give you two hours before you take that back," Kaede said non-chalantly. "He could have placed muriatic acid in those stuff."  
  
"You're too hard on your dad," I said. He shrugged. "Ne, Rukawa-kun... can I call you Kaede?"   
  
I saw him stiffen for the briefest moment before shrugging. "Suit yourself. Doesn't make any difference."   
  
It does, my Kaede... it does.   
  
Silence.   
  
"Your dad reminds me of Sakuragi-kun," I said. He rolled his eyes.  
  
"And you ask me why I don't like that ahou very much," he said. I laughed.   
  
"Come on, now, Kaede, you've got a cool dad!" I said. He remained silent. "I envy you," I said after another period of silence. He turned his head to look at me and for a moment, my breath got stuck somewhere in my esophagus.   
  
Moonlight shone down on his pale, pale face, making his eyes seem bluer than usual. The soft breeze ruffled his hair, and suddenly, I want to sweep those fringes away. My eyes fell down to his soft lips. Lips that once touched mine in a fleeting moment... gone as soon as it came.   
  
I heaved a huge sigh to get myself out of my reverie and stared up at the moon instead.   
  
"Anou, Sendoh-"  
  
"Akira. Please call me Akira. We've been friends for a long time now," I said in a whisper.   
  
"Akira... you said you envy me," he started, "why?"  
  
"Because you have a good family. The kind that everyone wants to have," I simply said.   
  
"And you don't?"  
  
"I do. It's just that they're so far away and I miss them so much," I said. "You're lucky because you have them with you right now."  
  
"Why am I not having the same sentiments?" he asked. "They drive me crazy. I want to be away from them. They're the main reason why I left for Kanagawa."   
  
"True, but you love them anyway. All of them."   
  
We fell silent again as I let him digest what I said.   
  
"Yeah," he said in a barely audible whisper. "Yeah, I do."   
  
"You can't fool me- or them- with those rolling eyes and snide remarks. One look in your eyes would betray what you really feel. You look at them with such pride and contentment, and even joy. I could actually picture you smiling just by looking at them," I said.   
  
"How come you know me that much?" Kaede asked.   
  
"I like studying you."  
  
"Oh so now I'm a specimen."  
  
"Iie! It's not that," I said, scratching the back of my head. "It's just that I like getting to know you."   
  
"Oh. I see."   
  
"There's one thing though..." I trailed off.  
  
"What is it?" he asked, gently urging me to continue.   
  
"Well, you know everyone's talking about you," I started. "People wonder why you are like that. Quiet, distant, aloof. They gave many theories, ya know, and you'll be really amused if you hear some of them."   
  
"Like what?"   
  
"Well, the others said that you have a traumatic past." I stopped to see his reaction. There was a small tug at the corner of his lips.   
  
"I *have* a traumatic past," he said, gesturing towards the house. Nani?! Did he just say a *joke*? I laughed out loud and slapped his shoulder. He patiently waited for me to stop laughing before he told me to continue.   
  
"We~ell, they said that maybe you came from a broken family or something," I said, feeling giddy now. "Or something significant that it affected your points of view and made you scared to reach out to others. They said that you erected barriers around yourself because you're scared of human contact, or of getting hurt. That you push people away to protect yourself."   
  
"They said that?" Rukawa asked.   
  
"Yeah."   
  
"They brew up amusing stories," Kaede remarked.   
  
"Ne, Kaede..."  
  
"Nanda?"  
  
"If I may ask, why *are* you like that?" I asked.   
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Quiet. Reserved," I replied. "You would rather hide your true feelings rather than show it. You're too silent. You don't talk too much. You don't like to mingle with people. And now, seeing your family... how cheerful and outgoing they are... made me think why you act the way you do."   
  
He was silent for a long, long time, thinking about his answer. He was staring at the sky. Finally, he looked at me square in the eye and asked,  
  
"You... What about you... Why are you like that?"   
  
"Like what?"   
  
"Happy, cheerful, out-going," he replied. "You would rather smile that say your true feelings about something. You smile too much, even if you don't mean it. But still you're very happy about things. You're optimistic about everything. Why do you act the way you do?"  
  
My answer was short and simple. It doesn't require much thinking. "Because this is the way I am, Kaede. I won't be Sendoh Akira if I'm not what you said I am. Those things you said are the things which made me myself."  
  
He stared at me once again with those deep, ice-blue pools and said,  
  
"You answered your own question, then."   
  
I gave him a warm smile when I digested his remark. He shot my own question towards me, and made me answer it myself. Now I understand him more deeply. He is not Rukawa Kaede anymore if he started to act like an altogether different person. I couldn't picute him laughing the tensai cackle, or singing the tensai song. Nor could I see him jumping about the kitchen whilst yodelling. It's just not him.   
  
"Why are you so interested in studying or getting to know me?" he suddenly asked. I decided to give him a straight answer.   
  
"Because I like you."  
  
Silence.   
  
More silence.   
  
"Why?"  
  
It was my turn to stare at him. He looked confused, vulnerable even. He also looked so open to persuation. I felt myself actually reaching out to him... Rukawa Kaede... I stared hard into those deep blue orbs and saw everything amidst the confusion clouding in its surface.   
  
I started to think that maybe- just maybe, he felt the same way... though he did not know it.   
  
"Why?" he asked again.  
  
I gave him a warm, geniune smile and held his hand in mine.   
  
"Because you're *you*."   
  
And with those words, though few as it may seem, he understood me.   
  
I knew that, because he smiled.   
  
He. Smiled.   
  
It was the perfect night. The air is cool, the stars are bright, the moon is full. I could have leaned over and start to kiss him, if only there wasn't a loud crash in his room, breaking our moment.   
  
He sighed as he shook his head and stood up. I felt this incredible loss inside. I didn't even have the chance to ask him how he feels.   
  
But it was there, right there in his outstretched hand, offering to pull me up. I accepted it. He smiled again.   
  
For now... it was enough.   
  
************************************************  
  
His room was a total mess! Amazing how one seven-year-old kid could cause so much damage. I looked at Kaede and sighed out in relief when I noticed that he's not mad. Heh, he looks as though he was used to it.   
  
His eyes scanned the room for further damages, and I saw it widen when it landed into a particular place. I followed his gaze and was pretty surprise myself when I saw Kae-chan bending remorsely over what looked like the Kaede's trophies and medals. The medals were okay, it was the trophies that were broken. Kaede mechanically walked over to the mess and just stared at the rewards of his hardwork and passion.   
  
Then I saw the largest trophy- the trophy he got when he won the MVP award, beating me, Jin, and the other players to it- that he got just this year. It was serverly damaged. It was placed right on top. I didn't know what Kae-chan did, but the self was now overturned and the trophies and team pictures and medals were now scattered.   
  
Kaede walked over to his most favorite trophy. This season, he worked really hard for it. He barely had anytime for anything else. He played so well. He told me once that this trophy was his favorite because it reminds him that he did something good. Something that would make his family, his friends, and his team proud of him.  
  
It now lay on the floor. Battered. Broken.   
  
Chills ran down my spine when Kaede gave Kae-chan the coldest stare I've ever seen.   
  
"I- I thought the trophy was pretty so I tried to-"  
  
"Get out." His voice was colder than the north wind itself.   
  
"Kaede, I'm sure he didn't mean to do that," Keiko-san said from the doorway.  
  
"I said get out."  
  
"I didn't mean-"  
  
"What do you mean you didn't mean to do it?" Kaede lashed. "All you ever did is to destroy everything I've got! Get out before I say things that I'm sure I wouldn't even regret."   
  
"Kaede-"  
  
"Shut up, Sendoh, and for once stop trying to make up for what mess that little heathen did," Kaede snapped.   
  
Kae-chan sobbed and ran out the door. Keiko-san and Kyuichi-san walked over to the mess and silently helped Kaede pick up the remnants of the symbols of his glory.   
  
"I'll do it, Okaasan, Otousan," Kaede simply said. With that, he brushed off the help of his parents. "Go and find where *he* is. Thanks for the help, though."   
  
"Kaede, I'm sure he didn't mean to-"  
  
"I'm sure he didn't," Kaede said with a hint of sarcasm in it. Keiko-san and Kyuichi-san silently walked out of the room. I walked over to where Kaede was kneeling. He was blankly staring at his MVP trophy.   
  
"I gave my everything for this," he whispered.  
  
I was about to say 'He's just a kid', but thought better of it. I'm sure Kaede will be mad if he hears that now. After all, he gave Kae-chan his maximum tolerance. This must have been the last straw for Kaede. Even his parents didn't try to defend Kae-chan anymore. When it comes to patience in handling the kid, nothing could beat Kaede. But for him to see his only treasures destroyed...  
  
"Yes, Kaede, I know. I wanted that, too," I said as I placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "But the trophy is just a thing. Even with a trophy or not, you still are the most valuable player."   
  
He was silent still.  
  
"Kaede! Your brother's lost. He's nowhere downstairs," Keiko-san said as she barged into the room. The news seemed to have waken up Kaede from his reverie. He placed the broken trophy on the floor and ran outside the door, with me close behind him.  
  
I guess perfect evenings could swing the other way, too.   
  
I just hope Kae-chan's okay...  
  
**********  
tsu.zu.ku  
**********  
  
Announcement:  
Little maggot lost! If anyone has ever seen a black-haired, blue-eyed little devil walking around you town wearing a white shirt with teddy prints on it and blue shorts, please contact me.   
  
Ah hell... This one's long, eh?   
I hope it's not too bad... And I'm sorry if there still are typographical errors in it. I must have overlooked some... Tell me if there are, though.   
Please review!   
  
ja!  
aki-chan 


	5. Okay, Truce!

Title: Kaede Jr.  
Author: me, of course...   
Yadda, yadda, yadda...  
  
Author's Blahs:  
  
How do I start? I just read the reviews, and it made me sooooo happy. Those were very nice things you said, and it really kept me going. Thanks a lot, minna! I mean it. ^_^  
*Aki-chan dances around with a pair of maracas*  
  
DiSCLaimerS:   
Slam Dunk, of course, isn't mine. But I wouldn't mind if it was... ^_^  
  
--------------------------------------------  
  
Kaede Jr.  
Chapter Five: Okay, Truce  
  
It was just one stupid trophy.   
  
It was just the medals which I worked so hard for.   
  
It was just the photos of my former teams.   
  
Those were just the things that could have made my family, my friends, and my teammates proud. Those were just the things that could have made my brother proud of me.   
  
Those were just mere things. Destroyed. Scattered on my carpeted floor.   
  
/Get out./  
  
Each word must have been a lash to him.   
  
/Get out before I say things that I'm sure I wouldn't even regret./  
  
There were a lot of things I wanted to say. Some painful, some spiteful. All I could see were just my broken treasures. Those were all I have. My medals and everything. Basketball is the only thing I'm good at. Those were the evidences.   
  
And he destroyed them.   
  
All I could feel was the loss.   
  
I didn't even think of what *he* would feel.   
  
Some big brother. No wonder he never looked up to you. No wonder he never liked you. All you do is to berate his puny existence.   
  
And now look at the mess you did.   
  
I'm sorry, Kae-chan.   
  
"Kae-chan!" Sendoh called out. He was wearing my clothes which my mother gave him. I could remember that look in his eyes when he saw how harsh I've been to Kaede. I could remember that look in his eyes when he told me the worth of the battered trophies. I could remember the knowing look in his eyes when I told him that we *must* find my brother. He knows... he knows how sorry I am.   
  
I could remember the harsh words I said to him...  
  
/Shut up, Sendoh, and for once stop trying to make up for what mess that little heathen did./   
  
It was not only for him, but also for my parents.   
  
How could I have said that?   
  
It was just mere *things*.   
  
How could I have hurt my brother like that?   
  
I am the world's greatest jerk. No, jerk is too forgiving. I am an asshole. A pure, unadulterated asshole. I've always been one. I don't deserve such family. I don't deserve someone like Sendoh. All they ever do is to try to make me happy, and all I ever do is to scoff at their efforts and push them away.   
  
Because I'm cool.   
  
Because I'm the Ice Prince.  
  
Cool Ice Prince my ass.   
  
What you are, Rukawa Kaede, is one major bastard.   
  
Okaasan and Otousan, though they never told me directly, were very disappointed in me. They just stayed quiet about what happened, calmly telling us that we should split up and look for Kaede. I wish they just shouted at me. I can't stand that sad look they gave me when we parted.   
  
All these years, I've plotted a way to get away from all of them, thinking that they were all too crazy for the likes of me. I thought that I never really belong in our family. They were all so happy about everything. I never really appreciated Otousan's wonderful cooking, nor my okaasan's overprotectiveness. I only noticed how childish or how annoying they could be. I've always thought that they're the unfitting parents for the calm, cool, Ice Prince.  
  
Not once have I thought that they must have loved me and my brother very much, despite everything. Not once have I thought that I have the best family one could ever have. Not once have I realized-  
  
How much *I* love them.   
  
Until now.   
  
All these years, I thought that won those trophies, those medals, those honors because I want it. I thought I wanted to be the best for myself. But all along, the reason why I was striving to be so hard is because I wanted to make my family proud. Those things that Kaede accidentally destroyed... they're not for me.   
  
They're for *them*.   
  
Maybe that's why I was so hurt when I saw those broken.   
  
I must have been a very selfish person because all I think about is myself. My pain. My suffering. My loss.   
  
I never thought about them.   
  
I'm so sorry, Okaasan, Otousan.  
  
I'm so sorry, Kaede.   
  
"Hey, Kaede, we'll find him, don't worry," Sen- Akira assured me. I don't deserve him, too. How can he like me, when I've been so cold to him since the start?   
  
My feelings for him... those funny feelings I get whenever he's near... those which I've mistaken for hunger, or humidity, or whatever, I realize now what those feelings are. I realize now that-  
  
I like him, too.   
  
He's the best friend I've got. He knows me probably better than I know myself. He still accepted me, even though I'm not the friendliest, or the nicest guy around. He still accepted me despite my innumerable flaws.   
  
I now know why I'm always thinking of him. Why he's always on my mind. I now know why he affects me deeply. Why I think he's the most gorgeous guy on earth while wearing a sweaty shirt and worn out shorts.   
I like him.  
  
I love him.   
  
Heaven help me. I'm in love with Sendoh Akira.   
  
Could he still like me, even after what I did? He told me how much he valued family. Look at me. Am I someone who valued his family? Yeah, right.   
  
Akira is a better brother than me. He's a better son than me.  
  
"Kaede, you're probably berating yourself," Akira said as he stopped running (yes, we're running around), and looked at me. He firmly held my shoulders and looked straight into my eyes. Butterflies- no- eagles fluttered around my stomach at his intense gaze. "It'll be alright. Kae-chan will be fine."   
  
"I did it, Akira," I found myself saying. "I made him run away. I'm the world's lousiest brother."   
  
"No, you're not," he said. "You're just mad earlier. I'm sure you didn't mean to say those things."   
  
"But I did."  
  
"Then you said it out of anger."   
  
"Demo-"  
  
He gave an impatient sigh, rolled his eyes and shook me hard. "You are the densest person I've ever met," he remarked.   
  
I stared at him. Here I was, sharing my anxieties and deepest sorrows with the man I like (love?), and he rolls his eyes at me and tells me I'm dense.   
  
Should I take back what I said about that love thing?   
  
"You don't even know how good a brother you are," he said. I gave him a blank stare. He shook his head. "Kaede, I don't know how I would make you realize what I've said. But just think about this, okay?"   
  
I nodded.  
  
"If you were a lousy brother, then you wouldn't even be running like a madman around Kanagawa looking for Kae-chan. If you were a lousy brother, you wouldn't even have taken him in when your parents told you to do so. You wouldn't have tolerated his mischiefs. You wouldn't have taken him to the theme park to give him probably the best day he had in his life. You wouldn't even have gotten that teddy bear for him which he adores so much," Akira said, his hand now on my cheek. "You are a great brother. What you did earlier was the proof that you are human. You're entitled to make mistakes, too, you know. But deep down, you know that you love that little demon."   
  
So I do, huh? Could I still pretend that I don't? It would be much more fun. And I wouldn't go out of character that way. This man knows to knock my raging senses.   
  
"Akira, thank you," I said. He gave me a warm smile, kissed my forehead and pulled away. It was a very warm feeling. I stood straight as a post, eyes as wide as saucers, while he looked at me fondly. All I could think about is that he *kissed* me. This time, not accidentally. He really kissed me. (Yeah, I know, it was in the *forehead*... but it's still a kiss.)  
  
"You're always welcome, Kaede," he said. "Now let's look for the little imp."   
  
Yeah. I'll do that.  
  
And remind me to give the little demon a bonk on the head for making me worry this much.   
  
***********************************************  
  
Kami-sama... he's safe. He's there... He's safe. My knees almost buckled when I saw Kaede sitting on one of the swings at the playground (with the most forlorn expression I've ever seen). He looked so sad, and my heart (can't believe I'm thinking this... Rukawa, you're getting soft) went out to him.   
  
I breathed out a sigh of relief.   
  
"See? He's safe," Akira told me with a smile. He started to pull me towards my brother, but I held him back.   
  
All I could see was the pain in my brother's blue eyes.   
  
All I could think of... is that it was *I* who did that to him.   
  
He looked so forlorn. Like a fallen angel, reprimanded by God. He looked so small on that swing, with his knees tucked in, and his chubby little hands holding the rusty chain tightly. He was looking at the sky, sighing every now and then.   
  
I did this to him. I made him sad.   
  
"Akira," I whispered. He looked at me. "Go tell Okaasan and Otousan that we've found him, please. I'll have a few words with my brother."  
  
I wasn't surprised when he gave me a warm smile and a look which says that he understands what I feel. But I was surprised when he pulled me to him and landed his lips to mine.  
  
Our first kiss. First *real* kiss, I mean.   
  
He pulled away before I could even react.   
  
"I'll see both of you later," he said as he jogged back to my apartment. I could only stare at his retreating form. Damn that hedgehog for rocking my senses. He knows I have to patch things up for my brother, and what does he do? He freakin' kisssed me!   
  
Now what do I say to that little forlorn imp?   
  
Where am I?  
  
What am I?  
  
Who am I?   
  
Damn you, Sendoh Akira. I'll get you for this.   
  
I slowly walked over to my brother, all the while thinking of what I am going to say to him. What do you say to someone whom you've hurt for probably as long as you've met him? Sorry? Can a single 'sorry' make up for all the painful words, all the insults, all the spiteful barbs I've thrown to him?   
  
I was directly beside him now, and I still don't know what to say. He was just sitting there, his head now bent. He knew that I'm already here, but he's still not saying anything. Oh well, what do I expect? The silence was defening. It was so overwhelming, I could feel it slowly swallowing me. I opened my mouth to say something (meaningful, I hope) but he beat me to it.   
  
"I've been a very, very bad boy, haven't I?" he asked, still not looking at me. He said it in the barest of whispers, that I could feel the pain seeping out of it. I could now see the little droplets of tears which fell from his eyes and onto the ground. I can see the way he was fighting his tears. My heart wrenched. Gods, I did this to him...   
  
Ever wonder what an ached whisper coming from a child do to someone? It could break a heart. It certainly broke mine. And what about tears? It could kill... as it was slowly killing me. What can I do to make him stop crying?  
  
"No, Kaede," I said, "It's me who's been a very bad boy. I hurt you, didn't I? I'm so sorry."   
  
"I'm a very naughty boy," he said. "I broke your favoritest trophy. I broke your plates. I broke many of your things since I was a baby. It's okay if you're mad at me."   
  
This is so damn hard for me. He is blaming himself. A child wasn't supposed to think of these things.  
  
"No... No Kaede, I-"  
  
"I'm sorry," he said. I felt so helpless. A sob escaped from him, and that did me in. I gathered the little boy in a fierce hug. He held onto me as if I was his only lifeline while all I can to is to rub his back. How do I ease those wracking sobs? "I thought the trophy was very pretty, and I want to hold it, so I tried to reach for it. And I-"  
  
He trailed off as he choked on his sobs.  
  
"I've been a bad-"  
  
"Hush now, little one," I said before he could continue to berate himself any further. It wasn't going as I planned (if I planned *anything* at all). It should be me who's doing the apologizing, not him. After all, he's just a kid... doing what normal kids do. And I'm a lousy brother for not being able to understand that.   
  
"I'm sorry if I've been bad. I'm sorry for being a naughty brother. I'm sorry for putting the frog in your locker room. I'm sorry for ven-de-li-zing your lockers. I'm sorry for stealing your ball. I'm sorry for-"  
  
"Ssssh... It's okay now. I'm not mad," I said. My heart broke with every word. "You shouldn't be thinking of that. It is I who is a bad brother to you. Hush now. Stop crying. I'm sorry for making you cry. Stop crying. You're breaking oniisan's heart."   
  
Immediately, he tried to control his sobs. How brave he is for doing that, I thought. How noble. Tired and spent, he just rested his head on my chest. My shirt should be dripping wet by now. I wonder how kids could easily cry buckets of tears.   
  
Comfortable silence wrapped itself around us, and I wondered what kind of picture we made, hugging each other under the light of the moon in this quiet, deserted playground. It was during these times that I wish I was more easy with words. There are so many things I wanted to say to my brother. So many things that I wanted to make clear. But no, all I'm good at is throwing insults. All I can say is a few sentences composed of spiteful words.   
  
I wanted to tell him that it's okay if he's naughty. I wanted to tell him that I'm not mad at him for doing those things to me. I wanted to tell him that I don't think he's a very bad boy. I wanted to tell him that he's the best baby (yes, he's still my baby) brother one could ever have. And I wanted to tell him that I love him.  
  
But all I can do is to hold him close. Damn you, Rukawa Kaede, for being so inept at words. How I wish that a single 'do'aho' could mean I love you. After all, it's all I can say.   
  
He pulled away from me and wiped his tears. "Are you mad at me?" he asked.   
  
"No, I'm not," I replied. "Are *you* mad at me?"  
  
"No, I'm not," he said.   
  
"I'm sorry if I've been such a big meanie."  
  
"I'm sorry if I've been a little maggot, or a little imp, or a little bakemono, or a little-"  
  
"Now, now, you memorized all those names?"   
  
"It's hard to forget, you know," he said.   
  
"I'm sorry."   
  
"Ne, what does 'maggot' mean anyway?" Kaede asked as he wrinkled his nose. I ruffled his head in fondness as I sat down on the swing next to his.   
  
"You wouldn't wanna know," I said. We just sat there, quietly assessing each other's presence. "Kaede, do you hate me?"   
  
"No, I don't," he replied. "It's just that I like playing jokes on you. And I like the way you look when you've seen what new mess I've made!"   
  
That coming from someone who's been repenting a minute ago.   
  
"Do you hate me?" he asked.  
  
"No I don't," I replied. "It's just that sometimes you can be so annoying. I don't really understand why you like being a pain in the ass. But it's okay. You'll grow out of it."   
  
"But what if I don't?"  
  
"Then heaven help me..." I said as I pretended that I'm going to die. I made choking sounds and pretended to struggle for my breath. And then I stiffened and pretended I was dead. He laughed in delight.   
  
"You look silly," he remarked. I smiled as I reached over to tweak his nose. This feels good, this bonding thing. I never knew it would feel this good when you spend some time talking and joking and not being a pain in each other's butts.   
  
"Hey," I called out to him. He looked at me with those big, bright, blue eyes now shining in delight. I held out my hand to him. "Truce?"   
  
He frowned. "What does 'truce' mean?" he asked. I laughed (and it felt good). This kid sure is interested in enhancing his vocabulary.  
  
"Truce means that we'll stop fighting and start being friends," I replied, giving him the only uncomplicated meaning I know. He looked thoughtful, as if he was contemplating whether he would continue to make my life a living hell or stop doing so.   
  
"Do I still get to play tricks and jokes on you? I really like doing those," he said. Sheesh, Rukawa, what do you expect from a little demon like this one?   
  
"Yeah, but don't expect me to stop calling you names," I retorted. He grinned like a cheshire cat and shook my hand.  
  
"Okay. Truce!"   
  
It felt like I was liberated from hell. It felt like a huge boulder was lifted from my shoulders. Hmmm... Maybe this could work out after all...  
  
*****************************  
  
"You like Akira-niichan, don't you?" Kaede asked after we finished building our castle in the Sandbox. It's been three hours already, but we still didn't want to go home as of yet. Let them worry. Kaede and I still have a lifetime of bonding moments that we need to catch up with.  
But where the hell did that question come from? He's just a kid! How can he understand things like this?  
  
"Yes, I do," I said. Oh well, no use beating around the bush.   
  
"I'm glad," he said. Why is he still not calling me oniisan? I wonder... does it take time? Oh well, after a lifetime of pure insults and bickering, what do I expect? "He's a cool guy," Kaede added.  
  
"Yeah, he is," I said. But I do wish you'd start calling me oniisan.  
  
"And he makes you happy."   
  
"What made you say that?"   
  
"It's ob-ve... ob-ve... ne, what's that word again?"  
  
"Obvious?"   
  
"Yes. It's ob-vious," he said proudly (for saying such a hard word). "But still...-"  
  
"What is it, Kaede?"   
  
"Well, you're both *guys*," he pointed out. Ah hell, how do I explain this to him? "Not like okaachan and otouchan at all."   
  
Damn you, Rukawa Kaede for being so inept at words. Now, how do you explain this to a seven-year-old kid?   
  
"Don't worry," he assured me, "he's a cool guy anyway. Plus, you look great to-gether so it's okay! I also like him to be my oniichan."  
  
"Oh." So that's it, then. Whew.   
  
We were silent again after that, and right now we're building another castle. The night was perfect. The air is cool, the moon gives off enough light, and the rustle of the leaves sound like music to my ears. All in all, it was a peaceful night.   
  
And I've realized that I've never had this much peaceful feeling before.   
  
I thought I could have this kind of peace when I'm away from the pandemonium which was dominated by my family. I thought I could have this when I lived alone on a quiet house, or when I look at the moon on my balcony. I never knew peace could come from playing with my brother in a sandbox which is too small for me, let alone the two of us plus two awkward-looking castles. I never knew I'll have peace when my brother is around.  
  
But I feel it now and I've never felt better.   
  
I realize now that life is good. I have the perfect family... the perfect (though overprotective) mother, the perfect (though overly happy) father, and the perfect (though a bit on the devilish side) brother. I also have the perfect (though mangled and *redecorated* house), and also the perfect (though still annoying) teammates, with whom I could share my victories with.   
  
And most of all... I have perfect friend and perhaps... more-  
  
Sendoh Akira.   
  
Words cannot tell how much he meant to me. What with me, being the always-loss-at-words guy, he still had a way of understanding what I feel for him. Earlier, at my lawn, I saw the flash of pain in his eyes when our moment was destroyed by the crash in my room. At the moment, I knew I feel something for him, but I don't have any way of telling him, so I just reached out my hand to him, with my heart in it, and smiled.   
  
He understood.   
  
Yeah... life is good.   
  
"Ne, when do I get to go home?" Kaede suddenly asked, interrupting my thoughts about the goodness of life. His face was now marred with a frown.  
  
"Home where?"  
  
"To Osaka."  
  
"I don't know. Why?"  
  
"Because I don't want to go home."  
  
"Oi, you like tormenting me that much?" I joked (yes, I joked). He shook his head and stopped playing with the sand. He pulled his knees to his chest and hugged them close. He looked pretty thoughtful. "Hey, Kaede, is something wrong?"   
  
"I don't want to go back there," he said firmly. I suddenly remembered the way he looked at me, back when Okaasan and Otousan were still begging me to please take care of him because they were need to take care of *really* important business. He looked so relieved when I agreed.   
  
"What's wrong? Why don't you want to go back home?" I asked.   
  
"I don't want it there," he replied, burying his head deeper in his knees. "I don't want to see the people who made Okaachan cry."  
  
What is going on? "Who makes Okaasan cry?"   
  
"Those people. Bad people."  
  
I can see that he doesn't want to talk about it anymore. He hid his head further in his knees.   
  
"Don't you want to talk about it?"   
  
He shook his head.   
  
"Alright. But if it bothers you again, tell me, okay?"   
  
He nodded.   
  
"And I'll go ask Okaasan about it, okay?"  
  
"Okay."   
  
The silence which hung about us now was unnerving. He continued to play with sands now, but there was something on his mind. He looked preoccupied.   
  
"Kaede, do you have a problem?"   
  
He shook his head. Am I missing out on something? Why do I feel as if something is terribly wrong? I've had this feeling since I saw my mother waving at me from my front door. I've had this feeling since I saw the look my parents exchanged that night in the kitchen... and the way my mother looked into my eyes when she held my hand and-  
  
"I've heard people talking in the living room at our house when I came home from playing," Kaede suddenly said. "There were many people. Four people. They were arguing and yelling and then okaachan cried."   
  
"Why? What were they talking about?"   
  
He paused for a long while, as if he was thinking about something. I felt dreadful with each passing moment. I sat there, silently anticipating what he would say next.   
  
"Ne, what does a-dop-ted mean?" he asked.   
  
Nani?! "Kaede, what did you hear them say?"  
  
He stayed quiet. Then, "It must be a bad word, because it made okaachan cry. What does it mean?"  
  
"Kaede, what did you hear them say?" I asked, carefully delivering each word. He buried his head in his knees again and kept quiet. I placed my hand on his shoulder, tipped his chin up, and looked at him squarely in the eye. I have to know what happened. I have to know what's wrong. Tell me that I'm thinking the wrong thing...   
  
"Kaede, look at me," I said, a little sternly. He looked back up at me. "What did those people tell okaachan?"  
  
"I don't know. I can't understand what they're saying," he said, geting frustrated by the moment. Tell me that I'm thinking the wrong thing. Please. This child shouldn't have heard what he heard. Whatever it is.   
  
"Did you get to hear some of what they were talking about?" I asked.   
He nodded his head. "What is it?"  
  
"I heard them say..." he trailed off...  
  
"Kaede, tell me," I coaxed. Every passing moment felt like hell. "Tell me, Kaede, what did you hear? What did they say that made okaasan cry?"   
  
"I heard that I'm an a-dop-ted child."   
  
Shit.  
  
**********  
tzu.zu.ku  
**********  
  
Cliffhanger! Cliffhanger!   
Review! Review! Review!  
  
ja,  
Aki-chan  
  
PS:   
My mom's PC busted, and my laptop lost its modem... I hate to say this, but there will be a delay in posting the next chapter... Ehehehe... Gomen, gomen... *scratches head*  
*dodges Eddie's katana*  
*dodges Shinri's deadly paper fan*  
*dodges miku's butcher knife*  
Aki-chan: Gooooomeeeeeen!!!!  
*aki-chan died* 


	6. I'm Not Gonna Let It Happen

Title: Kaede Jr.   
by: Aki Midori ^_^  
Mail me at: autumn-wind04@yahoo.com  
Warnings: You know...  
Genre: You know already  
Rating: G - PG  
  
A/N:  
*Aki-chan resurrects from the grave*  
  
Well, whoopdedoo!!! Chapter six! Finally! After dodging different kinds of deadly weapons (and failing), here goes chapter six! And I've got a new summary for it, too! Well, I know this sounds pretty boring and routinal, but I really wanna thank the people who reviewed and anticipated my fic... Thank you! I mean it!  
  
Wanna say a special hi to all those anonymous reviewers whom I can't personally mail...  
Dinara, Natalie and Fiery Frost. I could have said something to you other than thanks, if I only have a way to contact you. But still, a biiiiiiiig hug and a biiiiiiiiiiiiig kiss for you!   
  
And I wanna give a special kick in the arse to miku. You brat. Update 'Title' soon, will ya? Do it before finals... quick! *hands miku her magical writing stuff*  
  
Okay. Enough. On with the ficcie.   
  
Gotta warn you folks, though, no humor in this chappie... And Kaede would be a lil bit OOC... (who wouldn't be, when you found out that- oops... blah blah blah)  
  
Enjoy!  
  
PS... By request of Valencia, I'm gonna be putting whose POV each chapter's gonna be... I know I should have done that a long time ago... Gomen... No excuse for my former laziness...  
  
DisCLaiMerS: Not mine... not mine... not mine...   
  
-------------------------------   
  
Kaede Jr.  
Chapter Six: I'm Not Gonna Let It Happen  
  
(Sendoh's POV)  
"Don't you think they've been there long enough?" Keiko-san asked as she placed a mug of hot chocolate in front of me. "It's late. They didn't even put mosquito-repellants and-"  
  
"They're alright, koi," Kyuichi-san said as he placed an arm around Keiko-san. "They're probably talking things out. You know... bonding and stuff like that."   
  
Keiko-san snuggled deeper into Kyuichi-san's embrace. I smiled at the perfect picture that they made. Here in front of me is a couple who've been married for who knows how long, and were still going strong. Love shines from their eyes, and I've noticed that whenever they look at each other, a promise was always exchanged between them...  
  
That they'll be together for as long as eternity.   
  
They're a very simple couple, despite all their wealth. They own one of the largest companies in the country, one of the largest houses in Osaka, an estate in the US, and who knows what else. But here they are, wearing worn-out sweatshirts and teddy and bunny slippers, snuggling in the sofa of their eldest child. Most of the rich couples were stuck-up people, but the two of them were far from it. Most of the rich couples were too busy with their businesses to deal with each other. But these two... these two are so in love.   
  
It was like they draw strength from each other. It was as if one of them could not be complete without the other. They were partners. In life and in love. And maybe, even in death.   
  
They're just like my okaasan and otousan. Whenever I see couples like them, I get this warm feeling inside me. I always wondered how having someone to love you forever feels like. It must have felt really good. No... scratch that. 'Good' is an understatement. 'Heaven' is more like it. Everynight, before I go to sleep, I always wished to every star I could wish on that someday, I'll have my own partner in life. I'll have someone to love, and someone who'll love me in return.   
  
Everynight, before I go to sleep, I dream about my future. I'll have a simple life. Stable job, perfect home, loving partner, a kid or two. I dream about me and Kaede spending the rest of our lives together.   
  
How I wish that Kaede and I could be like that.   
  
"Ne, Sendoh-san, why are you looking at us like that?" Kyuichi-san asked. He was smiling again, as usual, but I could see a glint in his eyes. He's always smiling. Who wouldn't, when you have someone like his wife?   
  
"If you don't mind my asking, Kyuichi-san, how long have you and Keiko-san been together?" I asked.  
  
"Oh, we've known each other since we were three," Kyuichi-san replied. "We're neighbors, you see, and you can say that we weren't really on good terms. But when we were in high school, we suddenly fell in love, and we married early."  
  
"You're a bad story-teller," Keiko-san reprimanded. She looked at me and gave me a warm smile that made me think of my own okaasan. "We married back when we were nineteen. Too young, you may say, but when you're in love, age doesn't seem to matter. After all, we knew that we would be living our lives together. Time and age wouldn't seem to matter to you if you're certain where your relationship go. And we knew that ours would go on forever."   
  
I listened to her every word, engraving each and every one of it in my mind.   
  
/Age doesn't seem to matter./  
  
/We knew that we would be living our lives together./  
  
/Time and age wouldn't seem to matter to you if you're certain where your relationship would go./  
  
/We knew that ours would go on forever./  
  
What about us, Kaede? Where do we go from here? Where do we go from one single, stolen kiss? Would we be like your parents, or would we drift apart in the years to come?   
  
We haven't even voiced out our true feelings yet.   
  
But then again... there are some things that we could understand, even without words. After all, what are words? They don't seem to matter to Kaede.   
  
"And you were blessed with two perfect sons," I pointed out. "Life has been good to you. You're very lucky." They gave each other a sad, sad smile before turning back to me.  
  
"Yes, we were blessed with two perfect sons," Kyuichi-san said with a bright smile that contrasted the one he gave his wife earlier.   
  
Ne... what's wrong? Are they worried about Kaede and Kae-chan's relationship?  
  
"Is there-"   
  
"You know, Sendoh-kun-"  
  
Keiko-san and I started at the same time. I was about to ask if there were any problems about the two Kaede's but she started to speak right away.  
  
"You know, Sendoh-kun, you could have all these," she said with a warm smile. "You're a good person. You have the looks, you have the personality, you have the talent, and I'm pretty sure you've got the brains as well."  
  
"Geez, thanks," I said. Am I blushing? I hope not...   
  
"You like our Kaede, don't you?" Keiko-san suddenly asked.   
  
I was so shocked, that all I could do is to reply with a stupid question. "Which one?"   
  
And they both laughed at me.  
  
"The older one," Kyuichi-san said.   
  
"You don't mind?" I asked. They smiled at me again, held hands, and then Keiko-san said,  
  
"You can't tell your heart who to love. Once it started beating for another person, you can't stop it. When it speaks, you've got to follow it and listen to what it says."  
  
"That should mean... 'No, we don't mind'," Kyuichi-san supplied in a joking manner. "And besides, I've seen the way he looks at you throughout dinner."   
  
"Anou..." I'm still speechless. I wonder what I could say to these two people that would make them understand how happy, how relieved, and how thankful I am for their support. I guess life is good, despite all the troubles we all have.   
  
For once in my life, I really don't know what to say. But I knew they understood the moment I bowed to them and gave them my most sincere smile.   
  
Our moment of peace and understanding was destroyed when Kaede barged inside the room, carrying a sleeping Kae-chan in his arms. His parents stood up to hug them both, but Kaede didn't even give them a single glance as he went straight up to the rooms to settle Kae-chan into a warm bed. His face was devoid of any emotion and his eyes were colder than Antarctica itself.   
  
Keiko-san and Kyuichi-san just held each other, frowns marring their youthful faces. Kaede went back into the room, calmly sat on the sofa and stared daggers at his parents. His face was so clam and stoic, but I could tell that he was mad about something by the way he clenched his fist. What could be wrong? What could *go* wrong? Kae-chan's already safe, ne?   
  
"Kaede, darling, what's wrong?" Keiko-san asked as she sat beside Kaede and held his hand.   
  
"I don't know, Okaasan," Kaede snapped. "You tell me."  
  
"Don't use that tone on you mother, young man," Kyuichi-san scolded, the perpetual grin on his face now gone.   
  
"It seems as if you're not telling me something," Kaede shot back.   
  
Keiko and Kyuichi stiffened.   
  
Kaede stared hard at them.  
  
I looked at the three and decided to leave them alone. This is a family matter. I started to stand up, but the three of them snapped at me.   
  
"Stay."   
  
I sat back down.   
  
"Tell me the truth," Kaede started, his voice edged with steel. "Is Kaede my real brother or not?"   
  
Chills ran down my spine when I heard that. What is going on in here? Where is the happy family that I was dining with earlier? Why are they all so grim? Keiko-san and Kyuichi-san exchanged glances before Keiko-san took a deep breath. She tightened her hold on Kaede's hand.   
  
"He's adopted, honey," she said in a soft, soft voice. I saw a flash of pain in Kaede's eyes. Keiko's eyes were filling with tears, and Kyuichi seemed so different without his friendly grin. It broke my heart to see them like this.   
  
But still, I feel as if I'm invading a private family issue.   
  
"I think this is a family matter-"  
  
"Stay, Sendoh," Kaede snapped once again. He gave his mom a chilly, yet pained stare as he asked once again, "Is he my real brother, or not?"  
  
"Son, your mother just told you no," Kyuichi-san said, sitting near Kaede and Keiko-san. In a span of a few moments, he suddenly looked old and weary. I suddenly noticed the dark lines under his eyes. A frown doesn't suit him.   
  
"You're lying," Kaede whispered as he shook his head. "You're lying, both of you."   
  
"Honey, it's tr-"  
  
"You're lying!" Kaede shouted as he stood up and glared at both of his parents. "Tell me that you're playing another stupid joke on me." He turned to the door which led to the stairs. "Oi! You little imp! Acting's over. Get down here and tell me that everything you said at the sandbox is all a big joke!"   
  
He waited and waited and waited and we all held our breaths, but no Kaede Jr. came down the stairs to cheer us up and say that this is all a silly joke.   
  
"Kaede, get down here!" Kaede shouted over and over again. He started for the stairs but Keiko-san hugged him from behind, tears now falling from her eyes. "This is a joke, isn't it, Okaachan? Tell me that the little imp is my brother. Why, look at him! He's my spitting image! Kaede Jr, get your arse off that bed and c'mere!"   
  
"Kaede, please," Keiko-san pleaded. Kaede kept on struggling out of her grasp. Kyuichi-san stood by, and tears were also threatening to fall from his eyes. Kaede was hysterical. I've never seen him like this before. The calm, cool Ice Prince of Shohoku was breaking down right in front of my eyes, uttering non-sensical phrases. He kept on ordering and ordering Kaede to come back down and tell them all that he heard no such ridiculous thing. He kept on saying and saying that it was not true, that his parents were liars, that it was just a *post-april-fool's-joke*.  
  
It was breaking my heart.  
  
"It's not fair! He shouldn't have heard those things! He's just a child, dammit!" Kaede shouted.   
  
"Honey, stop it, you're breaking our heart," Keiko-san pleaded again.   
  
"You didn't see the way he looked when he told me that he doesn't want to go back home," Kaede seethed. "He looked so scared and so alone and so confused, and I don't know what to do to make him feel better."   
  
"Kaede," I whispered, reaching out my hand to steady him. "Kaede, listen to what your parents have to say."  
  
"They said it was a joke, Sendoh Akira," Kaede said, still struggling out of his mother's firm hold. "That little kid is my brother. I know I've been cruel to him and I've been rude and I've been a jerk, but you see, we patched things up already! Everything's going to be fine, ne?"   
  
Keiko-san was crying out loud now, not knowing how to deal with this side of Kaede. I don't know what to do, either. He's always been so strong. So calm. So composed. And now this...   
  
It's all because he loved the little demon so much.   
  
"Okaachan, let me go," he said as he gave one hard shove. His mother still held on. "I'm going to talk to Kaede Jr."   
  
"Kaede, please calm down," I said. He ignored me. He kept on struggling. His eyes were so dull now, devoid of life. There was just pure pain.   
  
Kyuichi-san have been standing on the same place all along, silently watching the commotion, silently dealing with his own pain. But now he had a stern look as he walked over to us, stood in front of the struggling Kaede and gave him a hard slap across the face.   
  
Kaede stopped moving. He was staring hard at a void in space, and finally he fell to the floor, taking his mother with him. Keiko-san wrapped her arms around him and rocked him like a baby. Kaede just sat there, motionless, and his deep blue eyes suddenly lost its life.   
  
Tears gathered in the corners of my eyes. If only I could take away that pain...   
  
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked in a strangled whisper. "Do you think I would be such an idiot, that I wouldn't understand it?"  
  
"Kaede, we-"  
  
"Why did you have to lie to me? Why did you have to lie to us both?" Kaede asked, stopping whatever Keiko-san was about to say. "Kae-chan was so hurt, dammit. He didn't know what 'adopted' meant, but he thinks it must have been a bad thing because it made okaasan cry."   
  
"Kaede, stop being a baby," Kyuichi-san said sternly. Keiko-san gave him a dirty look. I was pretty surprised myself. Keiko-san was about to give him a piece of her mind when Kyuichi-san spoke again. "Be a man and listen to what we have to say. I'm sorry I have to hit you, and I'm sorry I have to say these things to you, but someone's gotta pull you out of that stupor. Get a hold of yourself, Kaede!"  
  
A marble statue would have relayed more emotions than Kaede as he stood up from his mother's embrace and sat back down at the sofa. I sat next to him and took his hand, offering him what little I could give. If not for the hard grip which he had on my hand, I would have thought that he felt non-chalant about it all, judging by his looks. But I doubt that he knew that he was holding onto my hand.   
  
"Why didn't you tell me?" Kaede asked again. "I was nine years old by the time you introduced Kaede Jr. to me. You said you had him while you were in the States. I was nine years old. Old enough to understand that the baby you brought was-"   
  
He couldn't continue anymore, but he still did.  
  
"You should have told me. Maybe if I had known the truth, then I could have done something to lessen Kae-chan's pain," he said. "I could have known what to say. If you had told me the truth, then I wouldn't be a bumbling idiot who doesn't know what to say to him when he was so worried about things he shouldn't even worry about."   
  
"We were going to tell you, Kaede-"  
  
"Like ten years after, maybe?" Kaede cut in again.  
  
"Kaede, would you shut up and let us talk?" Kyuichi-san shouted. Kaede gave him a blank stare. Kyuichi got something out of his wallet. It was the picture of his family. He showed it to us. There I saw an old, but powerful old man, who, despite his age, still stood proud and erect. Beside him was an old, but regal-looking woman. There were two boys who looked exactly like Kaede. One was in his late-teens, and I recognized him as Kyuichi-san. The other looked as if he was nine or ten years old.   
  
That boy.  
  
Kaa-chan would look exactly that way after two-three years.   
  
"Your uncle. Rukawa Shiiyo," Kyuichi-san simply said. "When you were six, your okaasan and I left you because we need to do some business at the US. We could have brought you with us, but you said you wanted to stay here with your ojiisan. Three years after, when you were nine, we came back with a baby, which we introduced to you as your baby brother.  
  
"You accepted him, and in fact, I would say that you were delighted when you first saw him. We realized for the first time how lonely you should have been. You were happy when Kaede Jr. arrived. You were the perfect big brother to him, and he was the typical little demon-angel. We were really going to tell you and your brother the truth, but we didn't have the heart to do so. You were so perfect together, despite all your differences. We didn't want you to look at each other differently. We wanted you to stay that way. Brothers."  
  
Kyuichi-san let that sink for a while. Kaede was still tensed, but his grip somewhat loosened. Each word was a painful revalation. A shocking truth. It affected me, though this was the first time I've been with all of them. These people are not just Kaede's family. These people... all of them... are my friends. And it pains me so much to witness all of these things, and yet not being able to do a thing to help ease the sorrow.   
  
"Whose child was Kae-chan, then?" Kaede asked. Kyuichi-san cleared his throat before continuing his story.  
  
"Shiiyo has always been the black sheep of the family," Ryuichi-san said. "We took him to U.S. with us, remember? He was sixteen when we left. Three years later, he had a one-night-stand with a Japanese girl named Kireii. That one night was an oops for both of them. Kireii became pregnant. Neither she nor Shiiyo wanted the baby, so they were planning to abort her. Shiiyo disappeared one night, and during the same night, Kireii tried to kill the baby. She took pills, and the baby almost died. Your mother and I were against it, of course.  
  
"We said that if she would bear that child, we would gladly adopt and raise the child as one of our own. After nine months, that same year, a little boy was born. We gave Kireii at least the priviledge to name her son. She waved us away as if she doesn't care. We insisted. She called her Kaede. Because we respected that choice of name, we named the baby Kaede, even though you already have that name. We just added some Junior in it, so people wouldn't get confused."  
  
"We're sorry, darling, if we kept from you for so long," Keiko-san said. Kaede remained quiet.   
  
"So that would make Kae-chan... Kaede's cousin, right?" I asked. Kyuichi nodded.  
  
"What about those people that Kae-chan was talking about?" Kaede asked after long moments of silence. "Kae-chan doesn't want to go home because he doesn't want to see them. He doesn't want to meet the people who made Okaasan cry."   
  
"Those people, honey, are Shiiyo and Kireii, along with their respective spouses," Keiko-san replied as calmly as she could. "They suddenly wanted Kae-chan back. They searched for us until they reached Osaka. It was just a coincidence that they both wanted Kae-chan. Shiiyo's wife cannot bear him children, so he wanted Kae-chan. Kireii was just guilty over what she did seven years ago, and now she wanted to make it up to Kae-chan, so she wanted him back. It was also a coincidence that they visited our mansion in Osaka at the same time. They were all fighting for Kaede.   
  
"Your father and I, of course, wouldn't just give Kae-chan up. We fought for him, too. But then Shiiyo shouted that Kae-chan was just an adopted child so we should give him back to the biological parents." Keiko-san's last words were choked in a sob. "I didn't know that Kae-chan was listening, though. He must have been really confused and scared."   
  
Kaede remained quiet.  
  
"You have legal papers, don't you?" I asked. Kyuichi-san nodded.   
  
"That's why we left Kaede Jr. here," he said, "to take Kae-chan away from that mess. We also went to our lawyer to make sure that the papers would hold."  
  
"What did the lawyers say?" I asked.   
  
"The papers would hold. Kae-chan is ours," Kyuichi-san said with firmness. He turned to Kaede and his eyes softened. "Son we're-"  
  
"It's alright," Kaede interrupted. "What matters is that they won't take Kaede away from us."   
  
We suddenly heard a big sob and a wail and next thing we knew, Kae-chan had flung himself towards Kaede. Days ago, Kaede would have pushed him away and call him a little maggot. But now, Kaede bent down to hold his little brother so tight, as if intending to protect him from life's cruelty.   
  
"Did you hear what Okaasan and Otousan told me and Akira-niichan, Kae-chan?" Kaede asked. Kae-chan merely nodded and buried himself deeper into his oniisan's embrace. Their parents were crying now, pain and sorrow written on their faces.   
  
"Would those bad people come and take me away?" Kae-chan asked. I knelt down, looked into his aggravated little eyes and told him,  
  
"No, they won't take you away. You've got your Okaachan and Otouchan and Oniichan and they all love you will never ever let you go."   
  
"Will you protect me, too, Akira-niichan?" he asked. I smiled and tweaked his nose.   
  
"Of course, you little twerp. Of course."   
  
Kaede Jr. gave us all a warm, trusting smile and he hugged his older brother even tighter.   
  
Why is it that his trusting smile broke my heart even more?"  
  
*****************  
  
"Oi, Kaede, you haven't talked all night," I said softly as we sat side by side on the grass. Earlier, Kaede couldn't take everything anymore, so he slowly disentangled himself from Kae-chan's tight embrace and walked out of the house. Naturally, I followed him, and here we are now, under the light of the dead stars and the waning moon.   
  
Kaede not once looked at me throughout the whole time.   
  
"Kae-chan is your brother, no matter what, Rukawa Kaede," I told him. A breeze blew past us, making Kaede shiver a bit. I pulled him closer to me, and he didn't protest or pull away, so we sat like that for a long time.   
  
"It's unfair," he suddenly said. "Kae-chan doesn't deserve all this. He's just a kid. A kid should be playing tricks on people, or terrorizing the neighborhood, or run barefoot on the park and eat worms. He should be carefree right now, not burdened with the thought that he wasn't really his otouchan and okaachan's son."   
  
"Yeah, I know," I said. "But nothing bad will happen anymore, Kaede. They can't take Kae-chan away from us. They willingly gave Kae-chan to your parents, complete with their signatures on pieces of paper or whatever. So stop sulking, my little kitsune."   
  
He gave me a wierd look when I called him that, and I can't resist kissing the top of his head.   
  
"I love you," I suddenly blurted out. Kaede stiffened. Baka Akira! You really couldn't keep your mouth shut, could you? Give him some time, dammit! But what the heck... I feel better now that I've finally said it to him.   
  
"Sen- A... Akira, I-"  
  
"Hush now, Kaede," I whispered. "I'm not in a hurry. Let's take this one step at a time." He relaxed in my arms when I said that.   
  
We stayed like that for a long time. Just revelling in each other's presence and warmth, looking at the stars and the moon.   
  
"Ne, Kaede, it's late," I said (and almost regretted it). "Let's get you home."   
  
I stood up first and pulled him up. We were holding hands as we walked home.   
  
"Kaede, what would you do if suddenly, they take Kae-chan away?" I asked. "It's just a 'what if', though. I just wanna know what you would do if they-"  
  
"I'm not gonna let that happen."   
  
He said it with such firmness, that I dared not raise the question again. All I did was to pass an arm around him as we quietly walked towards his home.  
  
*************************  
  
It's been two days already since we found out the truth about Kae-chan, but we went on through life as if nothing's really changed. Kaede and Kae-chan went back to their bickering, much to everyone's amusement. Kaede brings the little tike to practice with him everyday (at their father's insistence), so Kaede pretty much had his hands full with basketball, Kae-chan, and the mess he did.   
  
The name-calling, of course, was still there, and Kaede was still looking for more original names. Keiko-san was still strict about mosquito-repellants, sunblock, and extra towels, and Kyuichi-san was still the same great chef with the pink apron.  
  
Yep... everything's alright.   
  
*Ding Dong!*   
  
Now who could that be? I won't be meeting Kaede until three o'clock today...  
  
*Ding Dong!*  
  
"Geez, I'm coming!" I shouted in annoyance. I was contemplating the blessings of life here, you moron! I opened the door with force and it swung with a loud 'swoosh'. Hn. That'll show whoever- "Kaede?"  
  
My heart almost leapt with joy (he came by to pick me up for today's one-on-one!), if not for the grave look that hovers on Kaede's face. He looked really weary, as if he fought in a battle and lost. His eyes were two pools of emptiness... and pain.   
  
"Kaede, what happened?" I asked as pulled him inside of my house. He didn't budge an inch.   
  
"Kaede Jr... they took him away."   
  
**********  
tsu.zu.ku  
**********  
  
Okay, that's it for chapter six!  
Cliffhanger again!  
I think I might have lost my momentum. Tell me what *you* think!  
Review, please!  
  
ja,   
Aki-chan  
  
P.S.  
I just bought myself a new modem! Whooopee! A modem for my laptop! Whoopee! 


	7. Oniichan

Title: Kaede Jr.  
Author: Aki Midori  
Rating: G - PG  
Genre: Romance/Humor/ A bit of Drama  
Warnings: Watch out for typographical/grammatical errors. They're all over. No matter how many times I edit, they're still there. And yeah, this is a YAOI.   
  
[No blahs today]...  
  
[No blahs today]...  
  
Okay, can't help it...  
Just wanna say a big thank you to the latest batch of reviewers. Can't mail you guys... sooo... I'll just hug you right here. *biiiiiiiig hug!*  
  
DiSCLaimErs: Slam Dunk and those yummy boys aren't mine. Everyone knows that. BUT!!! Major but- Kaede Jr. is MINE. MINE, ya hear? MINE!   
  
-----------------------------------------  
Kaede Jr.  
Chapter Seven: Oniichan  
  
(Kaede Jr.'s POV)  
I want to go home.   
  
Why did my okaachan and otouchan let that bad woman take me away? That woman cries and cries, but she makes my okaachan cry, too. I hate people who makes my okaachan cry. I want to kick them in the arse, even if I don't know what the arse is. I only heard that word from the big meanie. I want to kick them in the arse, but my okaachan would be disa- dis-a... what's that word again? Disap-...  
  
I don't know anymore. But if I kick those bad people in the arse, then my okaachan will be dis-ap-whatever.   
  
The bad lady said that her name's Kireii, and that she is my real okaachan. She said that I'm just a-dop-ted by okaachan and otouchan. She said she gave me away when I was a baby, but now she wants me back, because she told me that she loves me. I don't love her, though, and when I told her that, she started to cry. I told her not to cry and not to tell me lies, but she just continued to cry. Then she turned to my okaachan and asked her if she could just borrow me for a while. She said she just wanted to spend some time with me, and then she'll bring me back and leave us in peace forever.   
  
Why does she want to borrow me? Am I a toy or something? Okaachan said that only things could be borrowed. Am I a thing, then?   
  
And then that woman begged and begged. And she promised that she'll give me back. The big meanie started to act mean again. He said no, they can't take me away. He said that they can go to hell.   
  
He is a big meanie.   
  
But he is MY big meanie.   
  
But Okaachan knelt down in front of me, hugged me real tight and told me to listen well to what she has to say. I nodded and smiled so she would think that I'm a good boy.   
  
"Kae-chan, listen to me," she said. "I am not your real okaachan and otouchan is not your real otouchan. You heard that two days before, right? You heard us talking to your Kaede-niichan and Akira-niichan."   
  
I said yes, but I became confused, so I asked them to please explain. The big meanie told them all to shut up and grabbed my hand and told me that we would go to the park. I smiled. I love the park. But then, otouchan rep-ri-man-ded the big meanie and told him that I needed to know the truth. Okaachan continued to tell me her story.  
  
"Kireii-san is your okaasan, and Shiiyo-san is your otousan. When you were a baby, they were still too young, so they gave you to me and your otouchan."  
  
"I don't understand, Okaachan," I told them. If those bad people are my real parents, then why did they give me away? Don't they like me? I decided to ask that to Okaachan.   
  
"Yes, Kaede, they didn't want you," the big meanie snapped. Okaachan gave him an angry look and turned back to me.  
  
"But we do, Kae-chan," she said. "We love you so much. That's why we raised you as our own kid. We all love you, Otouchan and Oniichan and I. Please believe that, no matter what you think. You are our baby."   
  
"Yes, Okaachan," I said. She started crying again.   
  
"But now, baby, your mama wants to spend some time with you-"  
  
"Hell, no!" the big meanie said.   
  
"Shut up, Kaede!" Otouchan said.   
  
"They won't take him away!" the big meanie said again.   
  
I wished they would stop fighting. I suddenly wanted to cry. This is all very confusing. I didn't understand what's happening!   
  
"It's her right, Kaede," Otouchan said. "She is the bio-lo-gi-cal mother. At least let her spend some time with her son."  
  
"She gave him away like a shoe when he's a kid," the big meanie said. "Tell me now that she still has the right to have him back."  
  
"Please," the bad woman said while crying, "I understand now that you've come to love him very much, and I won't try to take him back anymore. Just please give me some time to get to know my son."   
  
I didn't know what to do anymore. They were all crying and they were all fighting and they were all mad. I wished everyone would be happy. I wished everyone would stop fighting.   
  
Okaachan hugged me and told me, "Kaede Jr., you go upstairs and wait for me, okay? We'll all talk and later I'll prepare your things."   
  
I decided to do what she wanted me to do, so that she would think that I'm a good boy. I don't want to go away. Maybe if I'm a good boy, they'd decide to keep me here. I don't want to go anywhere. I walked up to my room and found Mr. Teddy. I just hugged him real tight. And then I heard the shouts and the yells. The big meanie doesn't want to give me away. He's being mean for me.   
  
I waited in the room for a long time. I didn't destroy anything this time. I behaved. When they grew quiet, I thought that they won't send me away. I smiled at Mr. Teddy.   
  
"They won't send me away," I whispered to Mr. Teddy.   
  
But my okaachan opened the door to my room and dressed me up. I remained quiet, so she would think that I'm a good boy. She spread that mos-qui-to-re-pe-llant on my skin again, and then helped me put on my clothes. She was crying.  
  
"Don't cry, Okaachan," I told her. I am a good boy if I showed her that I care. She just smiled at me, carried me downstairs and gave me to the woman.   
  
I panicked then. I started to kick and scream and cry, but the woman held onto me. She was crying, too. Okaachan and Otouchan were hugging each other. I can't find the big meanie anywhere. I need him to be mean for me again. Where is he?   
  
And then the bad woman carried me out.   
  
"I'll bring him home the day after tomorrow. I promise," the bad woman said through her tears. She said thank you to my crying okaachan and otouchan and brought me to her car. I fell asleep on her car, and when I woke up, I'm here at this blue room with many teddies and toys.   
  
I don't like it here, though. Whenever I think of what happened this afternoon, I suddenly wanted to cry. I want my okaachan and otouchan back. I want my big meanie and Akira-niichan, too.   
  
The big meanie said that the bad woman didn't want me, so she gave me away. Okaachan and Otouchan gave me away this afternoon. Does than mean they don't want me, too? But Okaachan told me that she and otouchan loves me no matter what happens, so I guess that she wants me. But then why did they give me away? The big meanie doesn't want to give me away. Does that mean he's the only one who wanted me?   
  
If that is so, then he's not a big meanie, after all.   
  
He was never a big meanie.   
  
In fact, I am the meanie.   
  
I always destroy his favoritest things since I was a baby. He never did anything wrong to me. When I was a baby, I could still remember those times where he wanted to play with me, but I was being naughty. I always fought him and I was never nice to him. I've been a very bad otouto to him.  
  
He always took care of me, even though I'm a bad boy. He always makes sure that I'm always ok. He always tells me to take care. He hates it when I get a scratch on my knee whenever I play. When I get dirty, he gives me a bath. He cooks me breakfast. He buys me Ice Cream. And he gave me my favoritest toy in the whole wide world.   
  
He gave me Mr. Teddy.   
  
Mr. Teddy is his first gift to me. That's why I love it so much.   
  
"Mr. Teddy, I miss the big meanie," I said. Mr. Teddy smiled back at me. "He promised me that we would go to the park today, but that bad woman took me away."   
  
Mr. Teddy still smiled. He's always happy, that's why I love him.   
  
Akira-niichan wanted to take Mr. Teddy away from me that day, but I wouldn't let him. I won't let him take away the big meanie's gift even if just a short while. I don't care if he's cool or if he likes the big meanie a lot. No one can take Mr. Teddy away from me.   
  
I re-a-lize now that I haven't even thanked him yet.  
  
When I get home, I'll start calling him oniisan.   
  
I don't know why I never called him that. I guess it was just that way since long ago. He never called me Kaede, either. He always calls me a maggot ( I don't know what that means, too), or a twerp, or a midget, or a nincompoop or whatever. But now, I'll call him Oniisan. Maybe he'll be happy if I did.   
  
He doesn't even know that he's my favoritest person in the world. I always have his picture with me. It's always in my pocket. In the picture, he was like flying in the air and holding the ball and he looked as if he's going to slam the net with his ball. I got that picture in the newspaper, and when I cut it off, Okaachan scolded me because scissors are dangerous. Oh, anyway, I got the picture. At first I was planning to paste that picture on the street dog's back (just for fun), but I decided it was a good picture, so I'll just keep it. He's so good at basketball, and he's cool, and he's calm. And I loved his trophies and I'm proud of him. I'm never gonna paste that picture on the street dog.   
  
I never told him that, though. Bad boy, Kaede Jr.   
  
*Sigh*  
  
I want to go home. I miss Okaachan and Otousan.   
  
I miss my Oniichan.   
  
I want to go home so I could eat Otousan's great food again. I want to go home so I'll have my Okaachan to fuzz over me again. I want to go home... because I know now that Oniichan doesn't hate me. We'll play together, and we'll fight, and he'll call me names, and I'll still be a little maggot.   
  
Things won't change.   
  
But now, it'll all be okay, because I know now Oniichan loves me and I love Oniichan.   
  
I want to go home... so I could see his face if I called him Oniichan.   
  
"Hey, Mr. Teddy! I have an idea!" I exclaimed! Tensai Kaede Jr! "Let's go home!"   
  
Mr. Teddy smiled back at me.   
  
"Is that okay, Mr. Teddy? Let's go home to Okaachan and Otouchan and Oniichan! They'll be so happy!"   
  
Mr. Teddy still smiles, so I guess it's okay.  
  
Mr. Teddy's growing up. He's getting larger and larger everyday, but it's okay.   
  
I walked to the door in tiptoes, and I opened it and peeked outside to see if anyone's still awake. I guess it's late now, since it's so quiet. Mr. Teddy and I got out of the blue room and walked across the huge living room, and we headed towards the door.   
  
Bye-bye, mean woman! I'm going home!   
  
Shocks, it's called here outside. Keep me warm, Mr. Teddy.   
  
Oh, a gate. How do we get outside, Mr. Teddy?  
  
Oh, right! This gate's the same one that the big meanie has! This is easy. Just flip a little here, and press that there, and here we go, Mr. Teddy! We're on the street!   
  
Let's run now, Mr. Teddy, or the bad woman would see us.   
  
This is so fun! Let's run, Mr. Teddy! Let's run! Let's go home to Okaachan and Otouchan and Oniichan! When we get home, I'm sure Oniichan's gonna call me a maggot for running away, and Okaachan's gonna rep-ri-mand me, and Otouchan will be mad, but it's okay, ne, Mr. Teddy? We'll be home, and that's all that matters.   
  
I don't care if I'm not Okaachan and Otouchan's real son. I don't care if I'm not Oniican's real otouto. They love me. That's the only thing that matters, ne, Mr. Teddy?   
  
When we get home, Otousan's gonna fix us a warm cup of hot chocolate! And then tomorrow, we'd go to the park with Oniichan and Akira-niichan! It'll be so fun, Mr. Teddy! And then maybe, we could go to Oniichan's practice. We could watch that funny looking do'aho and that guy with a head like a muffin. We could have those nice two ladies cooing over us again, and we'd see Kim again!  
  
Wai! Let's go home, Mr. Teddy! Show me the way! You know, right? Yes? That's great, Mr. Teddy! Yes, we'll go home!   
  
Careful now. Lotsa cars on this street. What big buildings! Let's be careful, Mr. Teddy. Oniichan said that Kanagawa's not a friendly town. We should take care. Let's stay on the sidewalk, ne, Mr. Teddy? We're such good boys!   
  
Ne, Mr. Teddy. This street is scary. I want my oniichan. He'll protect me. Hug me tight, Mr. Teddy. I think we're lost. Those are scary shadows. They look like monsters. Why are there no people on this street? It gives me the creeps. Is someone following us, Mr. Teddy? Oh no... I want my okaachan. I want my otouchan. I want my two oniichans.  
  
Let's sit down, Mr. Teddy.   
  
We'll get home, I'm sure. I just hope it was daytime, so I wouldn't get scared.   
  
*Snif*  
  
I feel like crying, Mr. Teddy. Where are we?   
  
I want my Okaachan's warm embrace. I want my Otouchan's comforting smile. I want my Akira-niichan's funny jokes. And I want my Oniichan.   
  
*Sob*  
  
Why is this happening to me? Maybe this is my punishment for being a bad boy. I promise I'll be good, Kami-sama, just bring me and Mr. Teddy back to my home. Please bring me back home.   
  
Maybe I should have stayed at the bad woman's house. Maybe I could have just asked her to bring me home. Maybe we did the wrong thing, Mr. Teddy. We're lost. No one would find us here. It's scary here, too, Mr. Teddy.   
  
Oh, no! What's that creeping sound? Let's get away from here, Mr. Teddy. Let's walk faster!   
  
It's still there! What is is, Mr. Teddy?   
  
Oh no! It's an evil cat! It's running after us! Run, Mr. Teddy! Run!  
Faster Mr. Teddy! Oh dear! We have to cross the street, Mr. Teddy. Oniichan said that you only get to cross the street when the green man is blinking. He said it's safe that way. Let's go, Mr. Teddy.   
  
Let's go away from that evil cat! At the count of three, we run across the street. And look! There's someone at the other side of the street! Let's go to him for help!  
  
Run now, Mr. Teddy! Geez, you're too big, I can't see!  
  
We're in the middle of the street now, I guess.   
  
What's that noise?   
  
Let's hurry up, Mr. Teddy. Hold on. And don't block my view.   
  
What's that blinding light? What's that noise?  
  
"Hey kid, watch out!"   
  
What was that, Mr.-  
  
It's a car! It's going straight at us! Run, Mr. Teddy!  
  
Screeching tires. Blinding light. Noise. Pain.   
  
The car got us, Mr. Teddy.   
  
It hurts.   
  
So much blood. I'm scared.  
  
I can't see.   
  
It hurts.  
  
I can't move.   
  
Mr. Teddy.   
  
Help.  
  
"Oni-ichan."  
  
**********  
tsu.zu.ku   
**********  
  
*Angry mob chases Aki-chan*  
Aki-chan: Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh! Don't kill me!!!!!!! Sorry, minna! Sorry, WM! I thought about the words of comfort I gave you... This chapter isn't comforting at all! Don't kill me! Waah! Gooomeeeeeeen!!!!  
*WM kills Aki-chan*  
*Mob kills Aki-chan again* 


	8. Otouto

Title: Kaede Jr.  
by: Aki Midori  
Rating: g - pg  
Pairing: SenRu  
Genre: Yaoi.Romance.Humor.Drama  
Warnings: I warn you...   
  
DiScLaiMers: I disown them...  
  
A/N:  
Don't kill me.  
  
-------------------------------------------------  
Kaede Jr.  
Chapter Eight: My Life For Yours  
  
(Rukawa's POV)  
Bullshit.   
  
Why is this happening to my brother? He doesn't deserve this. Not my brother. He didn't do anything wrong. Why him? Somebody tell me. Please. Tell me, so I would stop thinking that life is unfair. He's such a great kid. He doesn't deserve this fucked up mess. He deserved the best of everything. The best that life has to offer. Not this. Never this.   
  
I want to get those tubes out of his mangled body. I want to get him away from those beeping machines. I want to get those bandages off. I want to wipe those dried blood. I want to heal those wounds and bruises. I want to mend those broken bones. I want to mend his broken heart.   
  
But how?   
  
How do I do that, when I'm locked out of his room? This glass served as a thin, but cruel barricade. I could see him, but I can't touch him. I can't hold his hand. I can't talk to him. I can't tell him that everything will be okay.   
  
Comatose.   
  
His head was hit.   
  
Internal bleeding.   
  
Yes, everything will be okay. He'll open his eyes, and he'll recuperate, and we'll all go home.   
  
His chest rises and falls in an irregular rhythm. Okaasan and Otousan are both at his bedside, just holding each other close. Okaasan was crying. Kaede's body was so pale... so lifeless. Dried up tears follow a path down his face. He's in so much pain.  
  
Shit, he's just a little kid. How can he survive this one? How can he take that much pain? He's just seven years old! He's got so much life ahead of him. Kami-sama, don't let him die!   
  
"Kaede."   
  
Akira.   
  
"Are you alright, Kaede?"   
  
That's bullshit, Akira.   
  
"Hey, Kaede."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Here."   
  
He handed me a torn, bloodied picture. I looked closer, and saw it was me. The picture was taken from a newspaper. It has ragged edges, which means that unstable hands did the work of cutting it off. Did Kaede do that? Shit.   
  
"That's how they found out that he's your brother," Akira explained. "They found that on his pocket when they were looking for Kaede's identification. And they found this, too."   
  
Akira handed me a huge brown teddy bear. Mr. Teddy.   
  
"It has 'Kaede' written on its paw. They put two and two together and figured out that the victim of the car crash was Rukawa Kaede's brother. They called your house, and told your parents. I'm only telling you this in case you're wondering how-"   
  
What is Akira saying? Oh, Mr. Teddy's wounded, too.   
  
"Kaede, please say something."   
  
What do I say? I can't talk, dammit. There's this huge lump on my throat, and it's killing me. I can't breathe.   
  
Mr. Teddy's got blood on his chest.   
  
"Kaede, get a hold of yourself!"   
  
What was that again?  
  
"Kaede, you're going out of your mind!"   
  
Mr. Teddy, why didn't you protect Kaede Jr.? Bad teddy.   
  
Okaasan was crying. Otousan, too. I hate them! They shouldn't have let that bitch take Kaede! Look what happened. Look at my brother. They shouldn't have. They shouldn't have.   
  
I felt something wet travel down my cheek.   
  
A tear?  
  
Am I crying?   
  
No. I don't cry. I'm calm. I'm cool. I'm the Ice Prince. Ice Princes don't cry. Something must have dropped from the ceiling.   
  
Kaede Jr....  
  
Open your eyes.   
  
We'll go to the theme park.   
  
I'll buy you lots and lots of pink cotton candy.   
  
I won't call you maggot again.   
  
Wake up, otouto.   
  
You can't die. You haven't even called me oniisan yet.   
  
I felt something warm enfold me. Akira was embracing me. He led me to the chairs and sat down with me.  
  
"Get a hold of yourself, Kaede, please."  
  
How can I, when my brother is in the ICU fighting for his life?  
  
"Be strong, koi."   
  
Be strong... That's what I've been doing for the past sixteen years of my life... That's also what I did when my mother and father got the terrible news that their son was hit by a car. My mother broke down. My father tensed. I remained strong. I told them that Kaede will be okay. I told them that everything will be fine.   
  
If I broke down, Okaachan and Otouchan would worry even more.   
  
So I kept everything.   
  
I kept my own sorrows. I kept my own fears. I stayed quiet... calm, like the Ice Prince that I am.   
  
Yes, Akira... I am strong.   
  
"Kaede, please talk to me," Akira pleaded as he kissed the top of my head. Sweet, sweet Akira. You're always there. Why are you taking care of me? I don't need that. I'm used to being alone. I'm cold. I'm indifferent. I'm a blasted *Ice Prince*. A marble statue could have more expressions than I. Yet... why do you still stay by my side?   
  
"Say something, Kaede. You're scaring me."   
  
"Do'ahou, Akira," I said as I snuggled deeper into his embrace. (So unlike me, eh?)   
  
"Your brother is fighting for his life, and that's all you can say?" Akira joked.   
  
"He'll be okay," I suddenly said. I don't know if it's true, or if I'm only hoping for it to be true. I said it with such firmness that Akira tightened his hold on me.  
  
"Yes, Kaede, he'll be okay," he said.   
  
Yes... He'll be okay.   
  
Mr. Teddy was still smiling.  
  
He'll be okay.   
  
Please.   
  
Let him be okay.   
  
*****************  
  
"When will he wake up?" I asked my parents the moment they got out of the room.   
  
"Nobody knows, honey," Okaasan replied. She looked so weary. Her eyes were so red from crying.   
  
"Kaede, are you mad at us?" Otousan asked.   
  
Am I?  
  
I wanted to be mad at you. I wanted to blame you. I wanted to say that you started this mess. I wanted to say that it's all your fault... that if you could have told me earlier, it wouldn't be this messy. I wanted to say that it's your fault, because had you not allowed that woman to take my brother, this wouldn't have happened at all. I wanted to hate you, blame you, curse you.   
  
But I can't.  
  
Because I know that your only fault is that you're too kind-hearted that you will let someone still spend some time with her kid even if she abandoned him years ago.   
  
And I can't blame you because your only fault is that you loved us both too much.  
  
"No," I replied. "I'm not mad at you."   
  
My mother grabbed me and hugged me so tight. So did my father. At the moment, all I was feeling was the security that my parents' embrace was giving me. I felt safe. I felt that everything will be okay.  
  
Yeah, they're childish, even stupid, to some extent. Yeah, they're too kind. They're too giving. Yeah, they're too overprotective and too loud. But they're my parents. And they love me and my brother.   
  
Yeah, everything will be alright.   
  
"The doctor said that talking to Kae-chan might help," Okaasan whispered in my ear. "Go ahead and wake him up."   
  
Okaasan.  
  
"Go ahead and talk to him, son."  
  
'Tousan.  
  
"Bring him back, Kaede. You always could."   
  
Akira.  
  
"Hai."   
  
**********************  
  
"Hey there, little maggot," I whispered. "I brought Mr. Teddy. He's dirty. He still has to take a bath, so I'll just place him in that chair over there, okay, imp?" I walked over to the chair at the other side of his bed. Mr. Teddy looked sad for Kaede.   
  
I walked back to Kaede, sat down at the chair beside his bed, took his cold, tiny hand and pressed it to my warm cheek. "There'd be a new theme park near your Akira-niichan's place. We're going to visit that theme park if you open your eyes. We're going to buy lotsanlots of pink cotton candy, and I'm going to win you a playmate for Mr. Teddy, and I'll even sing with you at the karaoke place. We could sing all sorts of songs. We could sing your favorite. What was that again, otouto? You liked that song about that eensy weensy spider didn't you? I'll sing that for you."   
  
His breath just rose and fell irregularly. He wasn't moving.   
  
"Akira said you kept my picture on your pocket. That's so sweet of you, Kaede. Didn't know you were into that older-brother-worship thing. But anyway, it made me feel good, you know?"  
  
He didn't answer.   
  
"You were a bad boy. You shouldn't have left that woman's house. You shouldn't have run away. You knew that I'm going to get you out of there, so why didn't you wait? I won't let them take you away, Kaede. You didn't have to run away."  
  
Each moment was breaking my heart. I feel stupid, really. I feel like I have this huge boulder in my chest. I can't breathe. Seeing my brother in this state kills me. His breathing was ragged. His head was bandaged. He had bruises all over. He's so small. He doesn't deserve this much pain.   
  
"I wish I could take away all your pain, little brother," I whispered in a strangled voice. "You didn't deserve this."   
  
Mr. Teddy frowned in his chair.   
  
"Open your eyes, Kaede. I promise I'll be nicer. I promise I'll be better. I promise that I'll protect you from everything. I don't care if you're not my real brother. I don't care if you're just my cousin. I don't even care if you're the devil's son himself. All I know is that you're my little brother, and I'm going to take care of you for the rest of our lives.   
  
"Open your eyes, because you still have so much ahead of you. I still have to prove to you that basketball isn't for sissies. I still have to call you more names. You still have to meet those people who will change your life. You still have to meet that special person whom you will love and who'll love you back. I still want to see you grow up. I want to see you finish your kindergarten school. I still want to see you graduate elementary. I want to see you fall in love. I want to see you graduate from highscool and I want to be there when you choose whatever path you'll take. I want see you grow up. I want to see you live.  
  
"Kaede, do you realize that right now, I'm talking more than I've ever talked in my entire life? You have to wake up for me. You have to wake up, so you'll continue to be the little demon, and I'll continue to be the big meanie. You have to wake up so I'll stop talking this much just so you could open your eyes. You have to wake up so I could resume to being the Ice Prince.  
  
"Don't die on us. We still have lots of things to do together. We still have to make up for those times we wasted. We'll do that bonding bullshit or whatever they call it."   
  
I talked a lot, but he's still not waking up. I'm losing all my hopes here. He looked so frail.  
  
As if...  
  
As if he's going to die.   
  
"Don't die," I whispered. "You're so young. You still have to live your life."   
  
I've never felt so helpless in my entire life. Right here in front of me is my brother, fighting for his life in such a young age, and what do I do? All I could do is to fucking talk to him. I don't even know if he could here me! This is so damn frustrating.   
  
"Does it hurt, otouto?" I asked. "I would take away the pain, if only I could. If only I could give my life to you, I would. How do I save you, Kaede? How do I take away the pain? Tell me, so we wouldn't have to see you suffer like that."  
  
I ran my hand through his soft hair and pressed my face to it. I held his battered body in my arms and I suddenly remembered that night in the swings, when he stopped crying because I told him that it was breaking my heart.  
  
"Open your eyes, Kaede," I whispered, hoping against hope that it'll work this time. "Open your eyes. You're breaking oniisan's heart."   
  
But he never opened his eyes.   
  
Instead, I heard a high-pitched beeping sound from the machine, invading my senses, engulfing me, swallowing me, threatening me, scaring me.   
  
Mr. Teddy looked as if he was crying red tears. I never saw his red tears earlier.   
  
The beeping sound continued to sound through the night. I dashed out of the room, ran along the corridors, looked for someone who could help.   
  
Someone... onegai...  
  
Wake me up from this nightmare...  
  
But this is no nightmare.  
  
Or was it?   
  
Help.   
  
Someone, help.   
  
Onegai.  
  
My otouto...   
  
He's dying.  
  
Onegai...  
  
Otouto...  
  
**********  
tsu.zu.ku   
**********  
  
Wow, this is a short one.  
Okay... kill me now.   
But please review before you do so.   
  
Shinri *bangs Aki's head on the concrete*: How- bog!- could- bog!- you- bog! do- bog!- this?! *Bog*  
Aki-chan: *unconscious*  
CheeKy *hits Aki's head with an empty drum*: I told you! No more sad fics!!! *Blag!*  
Diggler: *says nothing* *opens a can of whoopass*  
WM: *says nothing* *threw darts*  
Eva: *pours a bucket of roaches over Aki's unconscious figure*  
Jas: *pulls out a butcher knife*  
Jam: *pulls out a shotgun*  
Val: *pulls out an M16 A1 rifle*  
Miku *to everyone*: Who else wants to harm this murderer? *holds Aki-chan up* 


	9. Life Is Good

Title: Kaede Jr.  
by: Aki Midori  
  
*The author is currently praying for the Lord God almighty's blessing. She has lost her momentum in writing this fic, and is not sure whether this chappie will come out well or not... The author also wanted to tell the masses that she has received numerous death threats already, and that she is now immuned to those. Yep... immuned.*  
  
Aki: Oi, minna! Thanks very much for the support. Lotsa people loved this fic, and I thank you for that. ^_^ I'm very very very very (okay, point taken) sorry for the delay. You see, I was reaaaaaally busy with other things. And yeah, I also watched Hana Yori Dango which left me depressed for like... days (until now, I guess). So, bear with me, everyone!  
  
PS... This chappie is for all of you who supported (geez, do I sound like an awardee or what?) me all throughout this whole Kaede Jr. madness. Thanks for loving that little demon, too. And yeah, you can kill me after I finished the whole fic. ^______^ That is... if you can.  
  
DiSClAiMErs:  
Miku always write /Standard disclaimers apply, thank you!/. I wonder why I never contented myself with that. I always have to blah and to yak and to yap and pretend that I own them, and- ... oh well... Standard disclaimers apply, thank you!  
  
----------------------------------------------------  
Kaede Jr.   
Chapter 9: Life Is Good  
  
(Sendoh's POV)  
  
Everything happened so fast.   
  
I saw Kaede running out of Kae-chan's room looking like the god of death is on his heels. He grabbed me and shook me hard and when I looked into his eyes, chills ran down my spine. For the first time ever, I saw fear in Rukawa Kaede's eyes. I asked him what happened, and he just shook me and ran away, calling for the doctor. When I got inside, I saw our little Kae-chan lying lifelessly on that pristine white hospital bed.   
  
And the cruel beep of the machine echoed on and on and on.  
  
Everything happened so fast.   
  
I saw the doctors as they pulled in this stupid looking machine with many many wires on it. They ran towards Kae-chan and were yelling all sorts of commands. Everyone was running and was very frantic. Kyuichi and Keiko were gripping each other tight. And Kaede... Oh gods, Kaede... he was just sitting there on that chair on the corner, looking at everything with dead eyes. I wanted to go to him, hug him, be with him, but I was rooted in the place.   
  
I was rooted as I saw those doctors press those funny-looking things on Kae-chan's chest. I saw how the little body jerked upwards. And they pressed those things again. And his body jerked again.   
  
And I saw how Keiko-san cried. I saw how tight Kyuichi-san's embrace was. And I saw how dead Kaede's eyes were.   
  
Everything happened so fast.   
  
And then the doctor stopped what he was doing, looked at the hugging couple and shook his head.  
  
"I'm sorry," he solemnly said.   
  
I felt the tears as they ran down my cheeks. No, this couldn't be happening.   
  
There were tears and cries of anguish. There was pain and there was sorrow. I looked at Kaede Jr's lifeless body, and the tears increased tenfold.   
  
I remembered our first meeting. He was so happy. He has that mischievous gleam in his eyes. He said basketball was for sissies. He said he just stole that ball from his brother. And I remember now how amused I am when I found out what his name was. We became best buddies. And he understood what I felt for his brother. He understood, despite his innocence and his young age. I remember that wonderful day at the park. He was so happy. He was laughing and smiling and he was contented with just terrorizing his older brother. I can still see his cute smile. I can still hear his wonderful laugh. I can still feel his arms around me whenever he hugs me. I can still feel the persistent tugging at my pants whenever he needed to ask what a certain word meant.   
  
In my mind and in my heart, he's still alive.   
  
That boy who's lying down on that hospital bed could never be our little Kae-chan.   
  
Our Kae-chan is alive.   
  
This one's dead.   
  
This could not be happening.   
  
Kaede, are you alright? No, you're not. Stop looking at your brother that way. Please say something.   
  
I dragged my feet towards where Kaede was sitting. He wasn't moving. He wasn't even blinking. He wasn't even breathing. I called his name again and again, but he never responded. His eyes were dead. The light was gone.   
  
This Kaede's dead, too.   
  
Everyone died. Something died in all of us. We all loved Kaede Jr. What would life be like, if he's gone? Please tell me this isn't happening.   
  
Everything happened so fast.   
  
And now we're all gathered under hovering black umbrellas, giving Kae-chan our last respects before we let him go. The atmosphere is heavy with sorrow and pain. The rain was falling hard. It was as if heaven was crying with us. Kaede Jr has a huge impact in our lives. I can't believe this.   
  
Tears were streaming down our cheeks as the minister said his last words about Kae-chan. I wanted to laugh. He doesn't even know Kae-chan. He doesn't know the pain. He could never understand us. He doesn't have any right to say those things.   
  
Life is supposed to be good. Why is this happening to us?  
  
Kaede... where is he? He's not around.   
  
I ran away from the group, ignoring people's concerned shouts. Kaede, where are you? I ran and ran and ran until my feet brought me to the sandbox. Kaede was there, unsheltered, playing with the wet sand. His eyes were still dead. It seems as if he doesn't even know what he was doing.   
  
"Koi," I whispered. He ignored me. He just continued to toy with the sand. "Kaede, look at me."  
  
When he lifted his eyes at me, I felt it all. Indescribable pain. Immeasurable sorrow. Hopelessness. Helplessness. Defeat.   
  
"He's... dead," he stated.   
  
"But he will always be with us," I replied as I gathered him in my arms. My tears were falling freely... down from my eyes and onto his pale face.   
  
"You're crying."   
  
"Yes, koi, I am."  
  
"You love him."  
  
"Yes, I did. You love him, too. We all did."  
  
"He's gone."   
  
And his last word echoed on and on and on. My whole world spun around and around. I felt dizzy.   
  
And when I looked at Kaede's eyes again, I felt myself die, too.   
  
********************  
  
"Akira..."   
  
Where am I?   
  
"Akira, wake up."   
  
What's going on?   
  
"Open your eyes, ahou."  
  
That voice. Kaede? I opened my eyes. Where am I?  
  
"How very like you to faint just when I needed you most," Kaede remarked. But there was a happy glint in his eyes.  
  
"Wha-"  
  
"You fainted right after you saw those machines," Kaede stated in such a way a person would discuss the weather. "You made me worry, damn you."   
  
"Kae-chan-"  
  
"Is okay."  
  
I released a long sigh of relief. It was as if a huge boulder has been lifted off my chest. "Are you sure?" I asked.   
  
Kaede actually rolled his eyes. "Yes, Akira, I'm sure. Everything's alright now."   
  
What was that dream? It sure felt real. I was so scared. The tears, the pain, the sorrow... all of it. So real.   
  
"Akira, are you alright?" Kaede asked. Shit. I left him on his own during those vital hours!   
  
"Are you?" I asked.  
  
"Yes, I'm okay now," Kaede said. "No thanks to you."  
  
I blushed. "Gomen. I didn't-"  
  
I felt two fingers on my lips. I raised my eyes to meet his and felt myself drown in those two deep pools. These eyes weren't dead like it were on the dream. These eyes tell me that everything's okay.   
  
"It's okay, Akira," he said. "You've been through a lot of stress. You remained strong for all of us. You took care of me. When I got out of that room, I thought the world would end. I thought Kaede Jr would die. But then you helped me call the doctors. It's just that the moment you saw those machine, you fainted."   
  
"Kaede, I'm sorry," I said. "It must have been hell for you to go through that alone."   
  
"I told you, it's alright," he assured me with a smile. "Can't you see? Everything's okay now. Kaede Jr's safe."   
  
"But my dream..."  
  
"It's just a dream."   
  
I grabbed him and gathered him in a fierce embrace. "I saw everything. It was awful, Kaede."   
  
"Akira, I admit, at first, I was so scared, too. I thought he couldn't make it. But he did, Akira. He's strong. He's alive. Stop thinking about your nightmare."   
  
"I'm supposed to support you, and look what I did. I fainted like a wuss," I said. I can't forgive myself for this. What the hell happened to me? Why did I have to faint? Wasn't it I who promised Kaede that I will always be by his side through the good times and bad? Look at me now, recovering from a horrible nightmare, clining onto his arms like a ninny, having been comforted by the same person who's gone to hell and back.   
  
I'm such a complete f*** up.   
  
He wrapped his arms around me and said, "You've been a great help. You never left my side. That's enough for me."   
  
"Kaede, it's really over, isn't it?" I asked.   
  
"Yes."   
  
I should be the one who should be doing the reassuring, not him. But then again, his arms around me made me forget everything for a while.   
  
"I'm glad," I said. I saw his smile before he buried his face on my chest. "I love you," I hear myself say.   
  
And then I heard it. I was delivered in the barest of whispers, but it lifted my hassled spirits. It made me forgive myself. It made me feel so glad to be alive.   
  
"I love you, too."   
  
********************  
  
"Goddamn you, you little shithead, just eat the goddamn soup!"   
  
"Hell, no!"  
  
"Boys, no swearing, dammit! Your mother will throw a freakin' fit when she hears the two of you! Especially you, Kaede. Where do you get those darn words?"  
  
"You just swore, otousan."  
  
"I did?"  
  
"You just said 'dammit' and... and 'freakin', and 'darn', too. That's too many, otouchan!"   
  
"Oh."  
  
"I'm gonna te~ll on you!"   
  
"Hey, why don't we talk about this?" Kyuichi-san negotiated.   
  
Yep. Everything's back to normal. Nothing could be better than spending my afternoon with the three male Rukawas. One was *sick* in bed, refusing to eat the stale soup; the other was seething in anger because the former wouldn't even look at the said soup; and the last was too irritated because instead of being in his (or his son's) beloved kitchen with his (definitely not his son's) beloved pink apron, he was *commanded* by his wife to watch out for the two bickering boys.   
  
"Shut up, you little nincompoop. Eat the darn thing."   
  
"I don't wanna! It doesn't taste good!"  
  
"But it's good for your health, Kae-chan," I pointed out.   
  
"But it tastes horrible, Akira-niichan!" he protested. Kaede once again tried to shove the spoon in his mouth. Kae-chan clamped his mouth shut and looked the other way.   
  
"Dammit-"  
  
"Oi," I started as I walked towards him, "you're calm, you're cool, you're the Ice Prince," I joked. He gave me a cold glare and dumped the soup bowl in my hand.   
  
"Feed him."   
  
"Kiss me first."   
  
"You wish."   
  
"Aren't they sweet, otouchan?" Kae-chan cooed. Kaede and I both looked at him and blushed at the same time.   
  
The door opened and in strolled the general. Kyuichi-san walked over to his wife and gave her a long kiss.   
  
"What's going on?" Keiko-san asked.  
  
"Okaachan! The big meanie just said 'goddamn you' and 'shithead' and otouchan just said 'dammit' and 'freakin' and 'darn'!" Kae-chan proudly said.   
  
Keiko-san's eyes grew larger with each passing word. Kaede seethed more. Kyuichi-san looked ready to ran out of the room. When Keiko-san recovered from her shock, scowled in this scary manner which made me silently call for Kami-sama's mercy. I could practically see sweat running down on Kyuichi-san and Kaede's faces.   
  
Keiko-san actually growled.  
  
Kae-chan beamed happily.   
  
Maybe I could do something here... "Anou, Keiko-san. Happy day, isn't it?"   
  
"Did these two 'sophisticated' men say those things?" Keiko-san snapped. I think that vein on her forehead could pop out any minute. Anou, does she have a paper fan or something? Note to self: this woman is dangerous. Do *not* get on her bad side.   
  
"Anou... Keiko-san-"  
  
"Don't 'anou, Keiko-san' me, young man! Did they, or did they not?"  
  
Kaede was looking at me with a hopeful expression. And what is that wicked gleam in his eyes? It was as if he was promising me a reward if I saved him from this mess. Oh wow, I've never seen that promising look in Kaede's eyes before. Yum.   
  
On the other hand, Keiko-san looked ready to bite my head off. Hey, let's not involve me in this madness, shall we?   
  
"Did they?" Keiko-san asked again, now advancing towards poor old me. Lemme see, do I defend the love of my life, or do I save my soul from this enraged woman?   
  
'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned', was the first thing which crossed my mind.  
  
Kae-chan seemed to be enjoying the scene. He was fidgeting joyfully on his seat. Now, now, you little pipsqueak, when are you gonna start bouncing on your bed? When are you gonna start *squealing* in delight, eh?   
  
"Koi, let's talk about-"  
  
"Shut up," Keiko-san snapped, stopping whatever excuse Kyuichi-san might have said. Keiko-san's eyes narrowed. "How many times have I told you *never* to swear, especially in front of a kid? Did you listen to me? No. You really have to act like an uncivilized individual. What kind of words are those, Rukawa Kaede? Where do you get those words?"  
  
Kaede actually flinched under Keiko-san's scrutinizing gaze. Keiko-san turned her attention to Kyuichi-san.  
  
"What about you?" she asked. "What can you say about your behavior. Shame, shame, shame on you."   
  
"Anou, koi-"   
  
"We'll talk outside," Keiko-san snapped. "Now."   
  
Kyuichi-san *scampered* towards the door. Keiko-san once again turned to Kaede.  
  
"And you, young man, and I will talk about this later," she said firmly before she marched out the door. But not before she gave me a lingering glare which made me wish that my mommy is here.   
  
When she was outside, Kaede lunged towards the little kid.   
  
"Why you, little imp-"  
  
"Okaaaacha-"  
  
"Okay fine, I get the message," Kaede snapped as he placed his hand over Kae-chan's mouth. "I'll behave, you little tattletale."   
  
"Don't make me eat that awful-tasting soup again, okay?" Kae-chan asked.   
  
"Fine," Kaede said. He walked away from the bed and sat down on the couch on the other side of the huge, cheerful room. I can't believe this. Rukawa Kaede is *brooding*. I smiled and walked towards him.   
  
"Hey, don't fret over that little thing," I said. "I'm sure your mom will forget that in no time."  
  
"Okaachan won't!" Kae-chan supplied a little too happily. "Okaachan ne~ver forgets things like that. Yup!"   
  
"Quit being too happy about it, will ya?" Kaede shot back.   
  
"Simmer down, both of you," I said. Kae-chan stuck out his tongue towards his oniisan and slumped in his bed. The elder Kaede scowled even more.   
  
I watched these two boys and can't stop myself from smiling. Yep, everything's okay now. Nothing bad will happen anymore. Everything is back to normal. Kae-chan's real parents gave up on him and went back to their respective lives. Kae-chan is as naughty as ever, Kaede is as cold as ever, and their parents are as in love as ever. The two Kaedes went back to their usual bickering as if the whole nightmare never happened.   
  
These past few days have been hell for all of us, but we're okay now. All of us have changed in one way or another, especially Kaede and Kae-chan. In a way, both of them are a lot stronger than they were before. Before, only animosity was exchanged between the two, but now, I could actually see the respect and love they have for each other. We've been through hell, but we're a lot better now than we've ever been.   
  
This horrible experience bonded us all together.   
  
Yep, life is good.  
  
"Did I make you worry?" Kae-chan suddenly asked. The bouncy, happy kid was gone. Kae-chan was now looking as forlorn as he was during that night when he broke Kaede's trophy. Right now, he was hugging Mr. Teddy (who was, at the moment, clean) and was looking at his feet. He looked as if he doesn't know what to say.  
  
"Oi, you little imp, what are you talking about now?" Kaede asked.   
  
"I made you worry, didn't I?" Kae-chan said. "I ran away and crossed the street with Mr. Teddy and we didn't make sure if there are any fast cars around. I got run over and I'm sure I made all of you worry so much."   
  
"Kae-chan, it's okay," I tried to reassure him. He doesn't look reassured. I looked at Kaede. Only he can ease this little kid's mind.   
  
"You know, when I was in that mean woman's house, I was thinking of how bad I must have been," Kae-chan said. Kaede was now walking towards his little brother with a frown in his face. He sat down at the edge of the bed and said,  
  
"It's okay now, Kaede Jr."   
  
"I was thinking about okaachan and otouchan. I missed them so much. I miss the way okaachan would take care of me, and I missed otouchan's cookies and I miss the smiles and the hugs. And I so sad because I don't want to stay there," Kae-chan said. His words are tugging at my heart. He looked so pained and forlorn at the memory. "And then I was thinking of Akira-niichan's smile. I wanted to spend another day with him at the park. He was so cool."  
  
"Don't be sad anymore, Kae-chan," Kaede said as he patted the little boy's shoulder.  
  
"And I was thinking of you, oniichan," Kae-chan added in the barest of whispers.   
  
The moment Kaede Jr. said that, warmth spread all over me. Kaede's eyes widened, and he sat there, all stiff for long moments.   
  
"I was thinking of you the whole time," Kae-chan continued. "I was thinking of how good you are in basketball, and how bad I've been to you, and how good you've been to me. You always took care of me, and re-pri-manded me when I did something to harm myself. I remembered those times when I was a little boy and you tried many times to play with me, but I was very bad. And then you stopped trying when I've been very bad.   
  
"And then I thought that you always buy me lotsanlots of Ice Cream, and you clean me when I get really dirty, and you gave me my favoritest toy in the whole wide world. And you're also my favoritest person in the world. When I got hit by the car, I was scared. I said I don't wanna die yet, because I still have lotsa things to do for you. Arigatou, oniichan, for everything."   
  
Kaede sat there, all speechless and wide-eyed. I wanted to cry at the moment, but hey, I'm cool, so I didn't. This is one of the most poignant moments I've ever seen in my entire life. I was so happy for the two.   
  
Kae-chan was about to say something else but Kaede suddenly gathered him in a fierce hug. He was trembling. Kae-chan started crying and held on to Kaede for dear life. Kaede started to whisper comforting words, uttering whatever non-sense he could think of. He seemed so shocked and so happy at the same time.   
  
Funny, how at times like these, when my heart is swelling three times larger because of pride, I could only smile. I couldn't do anything more. The two hugging Kaedes paint the best portrait I've ever seen in my entire life. I've never seen anything more beautiful.  
  
And now, watching them patch up the seven-year-gap which have grown over the years, I could only think of two things.   
  
Number one, I feel so glad that I had the opportunity to share my life with these people...  
  
And number two, life is good.   
  
**********  
tsu.zu.ku  
**********  
  
*blinks at the readers*  
  
No, it's not finished yet. I still feel like killing someone... ^_^ Nah, just kidding there. Whew, can't believe I'm done with chapter 9. It feels great to write Kaede Jr again. And now, I can start mailing the latest reviewers, too, so wait for my mail! I've got lots of things to say to those wonderful reviews. Arigatou, minna!  
  
Geez, you actually thought I would kill Kae-chan? Come o~on! I made that kid! I can't hurt him, can I?   
  
... And besides, I don't wanna be killed by a bunch of mad readers. I have a dream, ya know. I don't wanna die yet...   
  
Please review, minna!!! 


	10. I Will Be Here

Kaede Jr.  
by: Aki Midori  
  
Author's Last Blahs:  
*Sniff* Yep. My last blah for Kaede Jr. Well, it's been fun writing this fic. I enjoyed reading the reviews... even the death threats. It made me feel good to know that you guys have come to love Kaede Jr. as much as I do. It's been fun creating that little maggot.   
  
Now, now... should anyone of you would want to borrow my baby (yes, he's MINE), I'll allow you. Just please ask permission, and give the credit to me. After all, it is I who created that little bakemono. ^_^  
  
Lastly, I'd like to thank the reviewers, especially White Meteor, S.G.O., qkslvr, miku, diggler, akira-akisame, baka, Shinri Ayase, Valencia and everyone else who supported (geez, I *do* sound like an awardee... sheesh) me... Arigatou! *huggles* The tears were all worth it, ne, minna?   
  
Now, onto the last chapter. Say bye-bye to Kaede Jr, coz this might be the last time you'll see him. Unless, of course, my twisted mind concocted another stupid plot which includes him. ^_^  
  
Enjoy!  
  
DiSCLaiMers:  
Slam Dunk and the characters aren't mine, of course. But Kaede Jr is mine... body, heart and soul. Do you have anything against that? *glares and huggles Kaede Jr to herself*  
  
---------------------------------  
Kaede Jr.   
Epilogue: I Will Be Here  
  
(Rukawa's POV)  
Life is good.   
  
I've said that before, haven't I? But then again, I wouldn't mind saying it again, because right now, it's the only thing I could think of. It's the only truth I can depend on.   
  
Right now, the wind is cool as it blew the fringes of hair away from my face. The setting sun on the horizon paints a glorious portrait of pink, orange, blue and even dashes of red. The cherry blossoms are in full bloom and the grass is greener than ever. I sat on this same swing many times before. I played on this playground for as long as I can remember. But I can never tell a moment in which I was happier than I am right now.   
  
Just watching the important people of my life do their stuff makes me feel good and contented.   
  
Now, now... is this the Ice Prince of Shohoku High talking? I stopped myself from laughing as I thought more about it. Years ago, I wouldn't even think of such profound things about life. It was all 'basketball', 'basketball', and 'basketball'. Oh yeah, there were the occasional 'I'll beat Sendoh' stuff, too. And not to mention my mantra.   
  
I'm calm, I'm cool, I'm the Ice Prince.   
  
But look at me now... Sitting alone on a rusty swing while watching morons run around the park, contemplating the blessings of life. I can't help but think that I'm not the Ice Prince anymore. I've changed a lot over the years. I've grown up. I've realized that there's more to life than basketball and victory. I've come to realize that there are more people in this world other than myself. I learned to smile, to cry... and show emotions. I learned to appreciate more things other than basketball and Jordan Air rubber shoes. I learned to open up and just *live*.   
  
But that doesn't mean that I've become sociable and all that bullshit. I still can't stand crowds. I still can't stand noisy parties. I still can't stand my father's (and Hanamichi's, for that matter) ear-grating 'Nyahaha' laugh, I still can't stand my mother's mosquito repellants, I still can't stand Hanamichi's tensai song, I still can't stand the way Miyagi would drool over Ayako-san, I still can't stand thoes annoying cheerleaders, and I still can't stand morons like Akira and maggots like Kaede Jr.   
  
But who's to say that I don't love and care for those annoying people? Those people are my family and friends (except for those cheerleaders, no questions asked, please).  
  
"Hey, love... what are you thinking of?"   
  
Akira, Akira, Akira... My lifeline. My everything.  
  
Darn, I'm getting mushy here. But hey, I love this man, no one can blame me.   
  
"Nothing, really," I replied. He smiled and hugged me from behind. When he did, that same warmth spread all over me.   
  
"Come on, now, Ice Prince, tell your sweet, handsome koi what you're thinking of!" Akira teased.   
  
"Hn."   
  
"Tell me!"   
  
"Urusai," I muttered. I hate it when this man is too goddamn perky. It irritates the hell outta me. Love him or not, sometimes I revel in the thought of killing him.   
  
"Kae~de!" Akira whined.   
  
"Shut up, Akira. Quit acting like a child," I said. "Stop destroying my happy mood. Go over there, where two people of your kind are killing each other."   
  
"I'll leave those father and son alone for a while," Akira said as he disentagled himself from my shoulders (but not before giving me a peck on my cheek) and sat on the vacant swing. "They're in the middle of a heated argument."  
  
I looked over to where he was pointing and saw two maggots running around the park. The older one was holding a pink towel with him, while the six-year-old imp was running around, screaming like a banshee.   
  
"Come back here, you little heathen! I'm not finished with you yet!" I hear Kaede Jr. shout from a distance.   
  
Kaede Jr. had grown up into a fine lad. He looked exactly the same as I was when I was his age. Perfectly handsome. Flawless. Muscular. A total hunk. Yep, that's my brother we're talking about.   
  
"I don't wanna take a bath!!!"   
  
"Akira, you're not going to take a bath in the middle of the park!" Kaede Jr argued. "I'm just going to wipe that smudge off your face! Don't be too difficult!"   
  
"I wonder why he named that kid Akira?" I asked. "There are too many Akiras on the world. Can't he and Kim think of any other name?"   
  
"It's pretty amusing, though," Akira said as he chuckled. "Two Kaedes and two Akiras. I'm flattered that Kae-chan named his son after me. I bet that kid'll grow up to be a fine, handsome young man... like me! I can see his future now... Girls would swoon whenever he passed by. Reporters would trip on their own feet just to have a few words with the great Rukawa Akira, basketball god! People would worship him and..."  
  
I could barely control my laughter whilst listening to Akira as he gave me a brief outline of Rukawa Akira's life. Brief, meaning it would take him another thirty minutes or so, just yapping about the glories that life will bring to Akira Jr. Ch', I told that darn Kaede *not* to name his first son Akira, but did he listen to his beloved oniisan? NO. Now we have to contend with two Akiras.  
  
And I didn't have to reiterate that this new Akira is much like his predecessors (i.e. Sendoh Akira and Rukawa Kaede Jr.), meaning this one's a little demon himself. With longer horns, of course.  
  
"Oniichan! Tell Akira to stop running around!" Kaede Jr begged as he jogged towards me and Akira.   
  
"Takes one to stop one," I said smugly. I'm pretty much enjoying this whole demonic son stuff. At least Kaede Jr now knows how terrible he must have been as a kid. He's having a taste of his own medicine. Hah!   
  
"Oniichan! Help me with that little maggot!"   
  
I gave him a smug grin.  
  
"Come, on, big bro," he persuaded as he ran his hands through his tousled hair. "If that screaming brat was me, what would you have done? Come on, oniichan, think about the good ol' days."   
  
"You make me sound old, damn you," I snapped.  
  
"You look good, anyway," Akira (Sr.) butted in.   
  
"Come on, help me with this!" Kaede Jr, cried out while twisting the towel around his face in agitation. "What would you do if *I* was the one doing that racket?"  
  
"I'd simply bap your head with something heavy and leave you to die alone," I replied.  
  
"'Niisan!"   
  
"Hey, you were a lot more difficult when you were younger," I pointed out. "Bear with him. Leave him alone for a while. A little smudge wouldn't kill him."   
  
"Yare, yare," Kaede Jr muttered as he jogged over to his little kid, who, at the moment, was so happily pulling out the pretty flowers.   
  
"He's grown up, hasn't he, koi?" Akira suddenly asked. "Time sure flies. It seemed as if it was just yesterday when that ball hit my head. And now look at our little Kae-chan. He's been happily married for seven years now, and he's got his own little kid."   
  
"He's Kae-chan no more, Akira," I pointed out as I watched my little brother wrestle with his son. "Look at him. All grown up with a family of his own. Not any more that dirty kid with a silly grin on his face. Not any more that whiny monster who kept tugging at our pants, asking for the meaning of a certain word. Heck, his vocabulary is wider than ours combined! He's no longer that stupid kid who carries Mr. Teddy around. Oh, before I forgot, Akira-chan inherited that old teddy bear. Kaede finally learned to let go of it. Yep, he's Kae-chan no more."  
  
Akira and I were wrapped in comforable silence. We silently watched our little brother as he laughed and fooled around with Akira-chan. He's all grown up now. Akira's right. Time sure flies. I was enjoying life so much, that I barely noticed that my baby has grown up. Next thing I know, that whiny little demon was knocking on my door and telling me that he's going to marry Kim.   
  
I remember that day as if it was just yesterday.   
  
I just got out of my bathroom from a hot shower, and Akira was cooking lunch. Someone kept on banging on the door. I was about to give that someone a good kick on the shin, when I realized that it was my brother. He had a happy grin on his face, he was all sweaty (maybe he ran all the way to our apartment, I don't know), but he was really happy. I did't have the time to say anything. He just told me that he's gonna get married to his girlfriend and I will be his best man.   
  
I just stood at the door, looking at him as if he'd grown four heads and two tails or something, and then I realized,  
  
Shit. My baby brother's all grown up. How come I didn't notice it?   
  
And now, looking at him fool around with his son confirmed my thoughts. He's not our baby anymore. He's got his own family: his own wife to cherish, and own son to fool around with. He's Kae-chan no more.   
  
But watching him grow up has been a pleasurable experience. I'll never forget that time where he first started to notice girls. He took up after Akira. He spiked his hair, dammit, but sometimes, he'll leave it as it is: dishiveled, unruly, and downright sexy, like mine (am I in need of an ego-boosting, or what?). I'll never forget the way otousan and Akira cornered him one time and told him all he needed to know about *ehm* sex and protection.   
  
He dated many girls, broke many hearts, became the MVP, led Shohoku basketball team to victory many times, dated many girls, entered Kanagawa University, dated many girls, became the team captain again, dated many girls, graduated with high honors, but whaddaya know... he married Kim.   
  
He's Kae-chan no more. But he would always be my baby brother.   
  
"Don't be silly, Rukawa Kaede," Akira suddenly scolded, breaking my line of thought. "He'll always be Kae-chan to us."  
  
My head snapped to his direction. He gave me a warm smile.   
  
"No matter how old he becomes, no matter how many children he will have, no matter what happens, he will always be our little Kae-chan," Akira said.   
  
"Akira..."  
  
"Look at him, love, and see the boy you've grown up with," Akira softly said. "Nothing changed, except maybe for the fact that he's a little demon no more. Hehehe... that's because he's a *big* demon now. In his eyes, koi, you'll always be the big meanie, and I know that deep inside that stubborn heart of yours, despite what you just said, he'll always be the little maggot.  
  
"He's married, he has Akira Jr, but he'll always be Kae-chan to us. He just grew up, had a kid, left the house, but nothing more will change? How could you say that he's Kae-chan no more?" Akira asked after his long tirade.  
  
Once again, my gaze swept over the place and landed on Kaede Jr. He was gritting his teeth in agitation whilst trying hard not to strangle his own son. I studied him one more time, and came to the realization that this maggot will remain a maggot for all time. Akira was right. He'll always be our Kae-chan. He'd never change. Not in our eyes and hearts.  
  
I wonder now what made me think of such stupid things... Oh well... must be the air.  
  
"Yeah, koi, you're right," I finally said. Akira gave me a warm smile and reached for my hand. For the moment, his hand in mine's enough.   
  
"Morning, dear oniichans," a warm female voice greeted behind us.   
  
"Hey there, Kim," Akira said with a smirk. I gave Kim a small smile.   
  
"How are they doing?" Kim asked as she bent down to give me and Akira a peck on the cheek.   
  
"They're ready to kill each other, dear," Akira said. "I wonder how you put up with those demons."   
  
Kim breathed out a dramatic sigh. "I'm on the edge, Akira-niisan. One more push and I'll lose it. Kami-sama knows what pain those two always put me through."  
  
"True, but you love them anyway," I said. Kim grinned and kissed me once more.   
  
"Yeah, you're right," she said. "But I wouldn't mind having a day off every once in a while. I deserve it."   
  
"Okaaaaaachan!!!" Akira Jr. exclaimed as he jumped out of the sandbox and ran towards his mother. Kae-chan gave out a sigh of relief.   
  
"What took you so long?" he demanded as he grabbed Kim by the waist and dove for her mouth.   
  
"Eeeeew, gross!" Akira Jr. exclaimed with a grimace. I scooped him up and ruffled his shiny jet-black hair. Crystal green eyes met mine, and I can't help but tweak his pert nose.  
  
"Someday, you'll have your own girlfriend and kiss her, too," I said. He gave me a cute scowl.   
  
"I bet I won't have a girlfriend," he vowed.   
  
"You could have a boyfriend," Akira supplied from behind me. He reached over and ruffled Akira Jr.'s hair fondly.  
  
"Shut up, koi," I snapped.   
  
"Hey, if that kid falls in love with a guy as beautiful as us, you could never blame him."  
  
"Yare, yare..."   
  
"Kaede-ojisan?"   
  
"Hm?"   
  
"When I grow up, I'm gonna be just like you and Akira-ojisan!" he declared. "I'm gonna be as handsome as you two are, and I'm gonna be the best basketball player in the whoooole wide world!"   
  
Warmth spread all over me as he jumped (or tried to) up and down in my arms. Kaede Jr. grew up, but here's another little imp to take care of.   
  
"You do that, you little bakemono," Akira said. "We'll be watching you the whole time."   
  
Akira Jr. nodded vigorously. "Anou, ojisan... when's okaachan and otouchan gonna stop kissing?"   
  
Akira and I sweatdropped.   
  
I cleared my throat to get those lovebirds' attention, but they ignored me. Their lips are pretty much glued to each other. Akira, on the other hand, was pretty much enjoying the whole scenario.  
  
I gave Akira my best death glare. "I should never have let you get near my brother," I said. He grinned sheepishly and reached for Akira Jr. "Oi... stay away from my nephew."   
  
"But ko~oi!"   
  
"Urusai!"   
  
"Okaachan! Otouchan! Stop kissing now!"   
  
"Mmmph..."   
  
Oh boy...  
  
************************  
  
"Ugh, I'm tired," Akira groaned as he plopped down on our couch. He pouted and pulled me down with him and started to kiss me all over my face. Darn this hentai.  
  
"Oi, get off me, hentai ahou."   
  
"But ko~oi!"   
  
"Quit whining, ahou."  
  
"Aaaw, come on! We're all alone!"   
  
And is that a hentai grin? *Sigh* I could really kill this man someday.   
  
I pushed his face away and started to go towards the bathroom, but he pulled me to his embrace once again. This time, he just held me close. All the mischief was, at the moment, gone from his eyes. All I could see was tenderness and warmth and love. I relaxed in his embrace.   
  
"It's been twenty years," Akira whispered softly. I smiled.   
  
"Yeah."   
  
"We held on, didn't we, koi?" he asked.   
  
"Yes, we did."   
  
"Kae-chan's so happy. Kim is such a wonderful woman. They're a wonderful couple."   
  
"Yes, they are."   
  
"Akira-chan will grow up to be the most handsome guy."  
  
"I'm sure."   
  
We just sat there on the couch, wrapped in each other's arms, sharing each other's warmth, feeling each other's heartbeat. We've come a long way, Akira and I. We stayed strong for twenty years. We've faced a lot more challenges, fought a lot, and at one point, we almost broke up, but here we are, still together, married for 17 years, and still head over heels in love with each other.   
  
I guess it all started during that very day when I got out of the bathroom and got dumped with flour. That same day when he handed me a bunch of pathetic looking flowers. That same day when he sang to me a song which is, after all these years, still embedded in my heart.   
  
"Koi?" Akira called out softly, breaking my reverie.   
  
"Yes, Akira?"   
  
"Remember that day at the park, when I sang to you that song?"   
  
I smiled. "I was thinking about it just now."   
  
"Do you remember the lyrics? Do you still remember the words?"  
  
"Come on, ahou... how could I forget? I might be shocked frozen during that time, but I was listening to you," I said. I almost laughed as I remembered how scattered my thoughts were during that time.   
  
"Koi?"   
  
"What?"   
  
"Tomorrow morning if you wake up and the sun does not appear, I'll be here, okay? I'll always be by your side. We've been together for twenty years, and I'm sure we'll still be together for twenty more years... and much longer than that. I'll never ever leave you, you hear that?"  
  
What the hell is this man thinking now? Why is he getting all mushy? Hn... must be because of the 'show' Kim and Kaede Jr. put up a little while ago. He's been quiet and full of thougts ever since this afternoon. Every once in a while, I'd catch him looking at me with a happy and contented smile. What's gotten into him?   
  
"Akira, I know that already."   
  
"Yeah, I guess you already do," he said as he tightened his embrace.   
  
"Koi?"   
  
"What now, Akira?"   
  
"I love you."   
  
Gods, I just love this man. "Love you, too, koi."   
  
Slowly, his lips descended on mine. His kiss was as sweet as ever... gentle, but persistent, soft, but firm. His tongue touched my lips, seeking entrance, and I opened my mouth to him. Warmth flooded all over me as our tongues touched. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him tighter as he gave out a little groan.   
  
My tongue sparred with his as we tightened our embrace. I feel myself getting aroused when I heard his throaty moan. All I could think of at the moment is that I love this man, and I'm going to spend my whole life loving him.   
  
I ran my fingers through his spiked hair as I deepened the kiss even more. My tongue meshed with his as I undid the first few buttons of his shirt. I let out a small groan as his mouth left mine to shower kisses all over my face and neck.   
  
And then the fucking phone rang.   
  
Akira tighted his grip, dove for my mouth again, and deepened his kiss.   
  
The phone kept ringing.   
  
Akira undid the top buttons of my shirt.   
  
The phone kept on ringing. It wouldn't stop, dammit.  
  
I hastily disentangled myself from Akira's tight embrace and marched towards the phone. He refused to let me go, but I shook his hand away. I could still here is childish whine as I neared the damned phone. I swear by all that's holy, I will kill this fucking caller!   
  
The phone kept ringing.   
  
"What?!" I growled into the speaker.   
  
"Oniichan!!! Thank heavens you're home! Akira Jr. won't eat his dinner, and Kim went out to buy something. There are goobs of food all over the kitchen! Tell me, tell me, tell me, oniichan, whatamIgonnadoooooo?!!"   
  
Rukawa Kaede Jr, damn you to infinity and beyond!  
  
********  
o.wa.ri  
********  
  
Well, that's it for Kaede Jr! *Sniff* I'm done. But heavens, I think this chapter's all crap. Darn it... Tell me what you think okay? And yeah.. I know Diggler will kill me for that little 'unfinished business' up there. Hehehe... Sorry, Digg... This fic's far from being an R-rated fic. ^___^;  
  
Okay... I just wanna thank you all for letting me share Kae-chan with you!   
  
Till the next madness,  
Aki  
  
PS...  
The next madness is called 'Celibacy'... Prologue's up already... ^_^ 


End file.
